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Goddess
What would you risk to discover your power?Olivia is a sixteen-year-old Vestal Virgin, a happy devotee of her beloved goddess Vesta in her home nation of Parcae. But when her faith in Vesta is shaken, Olivia illegally experiments with her own divine power, making a discovery that could save her country from war - if she's brave enough to share it.
˃˃˃ She's devoted to her goddess - until she sees the eternal flame sputter out...After an accidental revelation proves Vesta is fake, Olivia and her fellow Virgins are tempted by a charismatic academy boy, Cassius, to invoke the real gods. Although they risk death if they are discovered, Olivia and her friends test their skills in secret experiments. But their games take an unexpected turn when flighty blonde Lucia reveals surprisingly deadly powers.
˃˃˃ Now she's got some dangerous ideas.Gaius, a brilliant military student, must protect the girls and plan for war against an enemy nation while ignoring his growing attachment to Olivia. As a Vestal Virgin she has taken a holy vow of chastity, and the consequences of breaking it are severe...
Lovers of mythology will enjoy this story featuring the ancient Roman pantheon. Drawing from original Latin poetry to shape her fantasy world, Callista Hunter brings the ancient gods to life in this thrilling and humorous tale.
Scroll up and grab a copy today.
˃˃˃ She's devoted to her goddess - until she sees the eternal flame sputter out...After an accidental revelation proves Vesta is fake, Olivia and her fellow Virgins are tempted by a charismatic academy boy, Cassius, to invoke the real gods. Although they risk death if they are discovered, Olivia and her friends test their skills in secret experiments. But their games take an unexpected turn when flighty blonde Lucia reveals surprisingly deadly powers.
˃˃˃ Now she's got some dangerous ideas.Gaius, a brilliant military student, must protect the girls and plan for war against an enemy nation while ignoring his growing attachment to Olivia. As a Vestal Virgin she has taken a holy vow of chastity, and the consequences of breaking it are severe...
Lovers of mythology will enjoy this story featuring the ancient Roman pantheon. Drawing from original Latin poetry to shape her fantasy world, Callista Hunter brings the ancient gods to life in this thrilling and humorous tale.
Scroll up and grab a copy today.
267 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 12, 2015
3 people are currently reading
144 people want to read
About the author
Callista Hunter
1 book28 followersCallista Hunter is a librarian and first-time author who loves lighthearted YA fiction. She has studied Latin poetry and is fascinated by the mythology of ancient Rome.
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March 2, 2015Free on Amazon today!
UK - http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00S6T3E50...
US - http://www.amazon.com/Goddess-Callist...
UK - http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00S6T3E50...
US - http://www.amazon.com/Goddess-Callist...
February 7, 2015
A truly different out-of-the-box flavor to mythical YA fantasy adventures with a flair of ancient roman times. A theme of Goddesses with aspiring playfulness. One of the main characters, Olivia, a teenage Vestal virgin girl, worships her Goddess named Vesta as all others do in their home country of Parcae. But when Vesta falls from the title of supreme Goddess proves to be fake, Olivia, and other Vestal virgin companions test their own abilities and strengths in secret with illegal experiments of true powers - Let the games begin....
The other two main characters Lucia and Marta certainly bring life to the mythical aspect and description of this great city with a perspective on a strong and charismatic Roman cultural old-world charm.
Love adds to a glamorous setting of scenic endeavors as a young military student called Galus develops feelings for Olivia but he must put them aside if he is too plan a war against the enemy nation.
A lovely charismatic tale with lots of unexpected twists throughout and I thoroughly enjoyed it.
The other two main characters Lucia and Marta certainly bring life to the mythical aspect and description of this great city with a perspective on a strong and charismatic Roman cultural old-world charm.
Love adds to a glamorous setting of scenic endeavors as a young military student called Galus develops feelings for Olivia but he must put them aside if he is too plan a war against the enemy nation.
A lovely charismatic tale with lots of unexpected twists throughout and I thoroughly enjoyed it.
April 25, 2015
A "girl power" story set in ancient Roman times. However, the dialogue is too modern. Words like "awesome" and "cool club" are very inaccurate to the period. There were many dialogue issues. In addition, Vestal Virgins trying to punch or choke someone is out of their social context. There was also someone writing with "a pen on a clipboard." There was no such thing. They used a wax tablet with a stylus.
While I enjoyed a lot of the twists and turns of the story, especially the cute ending, the mind-set of the characters is a modern mindset and not a Roman one. The setting did not feel real. There are ways characters of a particular time period can be strong and independent without thinking like someone from the 21st Century.
The author has good plot building, but there needs to be more research and more authentic-feeling characters.
While I enjoyed a lot of the twists and turns of the story, especially the cute ending, the mind-set of the characters is a modern mindset and not a Roman one. The setting did not feel real. There are ways characters of a particular time period can be strong and independent without thinking like someone from the 21st Century.
The author has good plot building, but there needs to be more research and more authentic-feeling characters.
April 4, 2016
What a fresh breath of air! The author's world building was excellent, the story line flowed smoothly and the characters are strong. Truly an entertaining and enjoyable read.
January 21, 2015
Fun and inventive - a JOY to read!
Pure devotion. What happens when you spend six years of your life devoted to the honor and worship of a goddess - and then discover that she is nothing more than a hoax created to manipulate women?
This is the creative premise of the book and Ms. Hunter's writing style is a breath of fresh air. The story takes place in the imaginary country of Parcae, in a time long ago, but the characters are written with such wit and style that they could easily be the kids next door.
The three main female characters were given by their families at an early age to be raised as Vestal Virgins. They are in training to be the guiding force for regular people who want to worship Vesta, the goddess of home and hearth. Unfortunately for our main heroine, Olivia, she discovers that Vesta is a figment of imagination, and her faith and trust are shattered.
It is up to a boy, Cassius, to help her find her way again and he teaches her that she has a lot more to offer than any of them could have imagined. Cassius is helped by his friend, Gaius, (on whom Olivia has a secret crush) and what follows is a sometimes pleasant, sometimes terrifying journey of discovery for Olivia and her friends, Marta and Lucia, as they learn that females have as much or more to offer as males, which is, of course, exactly what the elders don't want them knowing!
This creates tension and danger, which escalates as their country is threatened by their ruthless neighbors to the north, and I found myself eagerly turning the pages to find out what happens next. But there are also light-hearted moments in the most unexpected places that had me laughing out loud more than once! Ms. Hunter has a great sense of humor, and her remarkably descriptive writing style made me feel that I was right there, in the midst of every scene.
I don't want to spoil any more surprises, but you are in for a treat. This book was a joy to read! My fingers are now crossed that there is a sequel on the way.
Pure devotion. What happens when you spend six years of your life devoted to the honor and worship of a goddess - and then discover that she is nothing more than a hoax created to manipulate women?
This is the creative premise of the book and Ms. Hunter's writing style is a breath of fresh air. The story takes place in the imaginary country of Parcae, in a time long ago, but the characters are written with such wit and style that they could easily be the kids next door.
The three main female characters were given by their families at an early age to be raised as Vestal Virgins. They are in training to be the guiding force for regular people who want to worship Vesta, the goddess of home and hearth. Unfortunately for our main heroine, Olivia, she discovers that Vesta is a figment of imagination, and her faith and trust are shattered.
It is up to a boy, Cassius, to help her find her way again and he teaches her that she has a lot more to offer than any of them could have imagined. Cassius is helped by his friend, Gaius, (on whom Olivia has a secret crush) and what follows is a sometimes pleasant, sometimes terrifying journey of discovery for Olivia and her friends, Marta and Lucia, as they learn that females have as much or more to offer as males, which is, of course, exactly what the elders don't want them knowing!
This creates tension and danger, which escalates as their country is threatened by their ruthless neighbors to the north, and I found myself eagerly turning the pages to find out what happens next. But there are also light-hearted moments in the most unexpected places that had me laughing out loud more than once! Ms. Hunter has a great sense of humor, and her remarkably descriptive writing style made me feel that I was right there, in the midst of every scene.
I don't want to spoil any more surprises, but you are in for a treat. This book was a joy to read! My fingers are now crossed that there is a sequel on the way.
August 19, 2015
Olivia, a Vestal Virgin, has dedicated years in service. She learns that her faith has been given to a goddess created by the priests to keep women in line. Disillusioned by the discovery, Olivia is swayed by Cassius, a priest in training, to participate in an experiment that not only will convince them that other gods do exist but that others than the priests can communicate directly with the gods through prayer rituals. If their experiment is discovered, Olivia and her friends Marta and Lucia will be put to death. The girls learn that they have much more to give than they were led to believe.
Olivia has a crush on Gaius, a young military trainee. If her affections for him are discovered, she faces persecution and death. Gaius begins to develop feelings for Olivia, but he must put them aside in order to plan for a war against their Northern neighbors.
Goddess is a book of self discovery and empowerment of women. If you like Roman mythology, you will love this book. Its pages are filled with suspense. Hunter makes history come alive in a very unique way.
Olivia has a crush on Gaius, a young military trainee. If her affections for him are discovered, she faces persecution and death. Gaius begins to develop feelings for Olivia, but he must put them aside in order to plan for a war against their Northern neighbors.
Goddess is a book of self discovery and empowerment of women. If you like Roman mythology, you will love this book. Its pages are filled with suspense. Hunter makes history come alive in a very unique way.
May 24, 2017
From the opening scene, Goddess grabbed my attention. Callista Hunter keeps the action, conflict and suspense going at a crackling pace. I did manage to set it down once, at an especially exciting cliff-hanger moment, then found myself staying up til the small hours to finish it because I couldn't put it down. I also bought the audiobook version so I am now enjoying the book a second time.
I liked the heroine, Olivia. She and her coterie of friends are vividly drawn. In the audiobook version, the narrator Tami Leah Lacy provides voices for characters ranging from young girls to powerful generals. She also handles prayers written in Latin. Most importantly, her overall tone matches the humorous and youthful tone of the novel -- although Goddess deals with some calamitous events and serious issues, Hunter's book is never dark or depressing, and the idealism and optimism of the heroine carry her through the bad times.
I especially enjoyed Gaius, Olivia's taciturn love interest. Gaius is a handsome and intelligent young soldier who falls for five-foot-tall girl Olivia who he initially thinks is a bit of a feather-head; until he comes to realize she is extraordinarily courageous and modest.
Hunter was especially skillful at revealing Olivia's world without clunky exposition. It would be possible to enjoy this story even if you didn't know anything about Roman mythology or the Roman empire because she unveils the details in the narrative. The setting, however, is only part of what makes the book so engaging -- Hunter gives us an exciting plot which includes the always-entertaining theme: young people defying the rules and using magic behind the backs of their clueless elders. There is a venerable tradition in young people's literature for this theme (before JK Rowling, there was Edith Nesbit) and with good reason -- it's a great theme. Speaking of magic, or to put it another way, whether there really are gods who have miraculous powers, the book serves up some real twists and turns -- the heroine is at first horribly disillusioned when she discovers everything she believed in is a lie, and I was certain that one her friends was a fraud who was going to bring her further disillusionment -- until the author turned the tables on me.
Some sequences and transitions were laid out at a walking pace, when a few sentences or a montage would have served; for example when Olivia is reporting information we already know, to her superior at the Temple of Vesta. However, as I was so interested in every detail of what the young people were thinking, or doing, the dialogue and detail did not slow down the story significantly.
Even though the story is technically a fantasy, it is filled with historical detail drawn from the Roman Empire and deals with issues which have relevance for the modern reader, including fanatics who commit acts of terrorism. As women, Olivia and her friends are very vulnerable in a world where they can be made the scapegoats of ambitious politicians -- exploited, used and destroyed.
Hunter skillfully balances these darker themes with humor and infuses the novel with the sweet nature of the heroine, who gets her well-deserved happy ending. I would certainly read future novels from this author.
I liked the heroine, Olivia. She and her coterie of friends are vividly drawn. In the audiobook version, the narrator Tami Leah Lacy provides voices for characters ranging from young girls to powerful generals. She also handles prayers written in Latin. Most importantly, her overall tone matches the humorous and youthful tone of the novel -- although Goddess deals with some calamitous events and serious issues, Hunter's book is never dark or depressing, and the idealism and optimism of the heroine carry her through the bad times.
I especially enjoyed Gaius, Olivia's taciturn love interest. Gaius is a handsome and intelligent young soldier who falls for five-foot-tall girl Olivia who he initially thinks is a bit of a feather-head; until he comes to realize she is extraordinarily courageous and modest.
Hunter was especially skillful at revealing Olivia's world without clunky exposition. It would be possible to enjoy this story even if you didn't know anything about Roman mythology or the Roman empire because she unveils the details in the narrative. The setting, however, is only part of what makes the book so engaging -- Hunter gives us an exciting plot which includes the always-entertaining theme: young people defying the rules and using magic behind the backs of their clueless elders. There is a venerable tradition in young people's literature for this theme (before JK Rowling, there was Edith Nesbit) and with good reason -- it's a great theme. Speaking of magic, or to put it another way, whether there really are gods who have miraculous powers, the book serves up some real twists and turns -- the heroine is at first horribly disillusioned when she discovers everything she believed in is a lie, and I was certain that one her friends was a fraud who was going to bring her further disillusionment -- until the author turned the tables on me.
Some sequences and transitions were laid out at a walking pace, when a few sentences or a montage would have served; for example when Olivia is reporting information we already know, to her superior at the Temple of Vesta. However, as I was so interested in every detail of what the young people were thinking, or doing, the dialogue and detail did not slow down the story significantly.
Even though the story is technically a fantasy, it is filled with historical detail drawn from the Roman Empire and deals with issues which have relevance for the modern reader, including fanatics who commit acts of terrorism. As women, Olivia and her friends are very vulnerable in a world where they can be made the scapegoats of ambitious politicians -- exploited, used and destroyed.
Hunter skillfully balances these darker themes with humor and infuses the novel with the sweet nature of the heroine, who gets her well-deserved happy ending. I would certainly read future novels from this author.
May 16, 2017
4.25★ Audiobook⎮ Goddess was so much more than I was expecting. It was a delightful story set in Ancient Rome. Goddess was filled with political and religious intrigue, accompanied by an empowering message of feminine strength.
Calista Hunter’s stellar writing set the ancient scene beautifully, while still throwing in modern flair via the dialogue. Goddess's message is especially appropriate for teens 14+ and would serve as a great entry point into Ancient Roman mythology for young readers. The characters were engaging and distinct. I wasn’t drawn to one singular character, but the group of characters and the way they rounded each other out was most appealing.
The religious aspect of the story was heartbreaking. The main character, Olivia, experiences a “crisis of faith” after learning that the goddess she has devoted her life to serving was an invention of the patriarchy. Vesta, the goddess of home and hearth, was invented by men to keep women devoted to “womanly duties”. Many people have been in Olivia’s shoes, having had their fath shaken or shattered, which is why I think her story resonates so strongly.
Even if Vesta was fictionalized, the remaining gods were very real, which brought an element of fantasy to Goddess. It was easy to slip into the plot through the eyes of Callista Hunter’s well-defined characters. There was an excellent amount of action throughout Goddess, with acutely shocking plot twists peppered in along the way.
Hunter showed excellent skill by elongating the overarching plot to encompass several “mini-adventures” and then weaving everything back into the primary plot. Every time it fell like the story was tapering off nicely, Hunter found a way to revive it for another go. This type of storytelling makes me wish that Goddess was being extended into a series. Callista Hunter has something really neat here and I’m not sure I’m ready to see it end in a stand-alone novel.
Narration review: Tami Leah Lacy made this listening experience even more enjoyable. Her voice itself was extremely pleasant to hear. She appropriately varied her vocalizations to match each character’s personality and status, which added another dimension to the characters. A dimension which the physical book would not have been able to provide. There were minor quality issues throughout, which became more noticeable as the audiobook went on. The sound level frequently faded in and out, often mid-sentence. Tami Leah Lacy seems to be an extremely talented performer, but I would hire a sound engineer next time. ♣︎
Calista Hunter’s stellar writing set the ancient scene beautifully, while still throwing in modern flair via the dialogue. Goddess's message is especially appropriate for teens 14+ and would serve as a great entry point into Ancient Roman mythology for young readers. The characters were engaging and distinct. I wasn’t drawn to one singular character, but the group of characters and the way they rounded each other out was most appealing.
The religious aspect of the story was heartbreaking. The main character, Olivia, experiences a “crisis of faith” after learning that the goddess she has devoted her life to serving was an invention of the patriarchy. Vesta, the goddess of home and hearth, was invented by men to keep women devoted to “womanly duties”. Many people have been in Olivia’s shoes, having had their fath shaken or shattered, which is why I think her story resonates so strongly.
Even if Vesta was fictionalized, the remaining gods were very real, which brought an element of fantasy to Goddess. It was easy to slip into the plot through the eyes of Callista Hunter’s well-defined characters. There was an excellent amount of action throughout Goddess, with acutely shocking plot twists peppered in along the way.
Hunter showed excellent skill by elongating the overarching plot to encompass several “mini-adventures” and then weaving everything back into the primary plot. Every time it fell like the story was tapering off nicely, Hunter found a way to revive it for another go. This type of storytelling makes me wish that Goddess was being extended into a series. Callista Hunter has something really neat here and I’m not sure I’m ready to see it end in a stand-alone novel.
Narration review: Tami Leah Lacy made this listening experience even more enjoyable. Her voice itself was extremely pleasant to hear. She appropriately varied her vocalizations to match each character’s personality and status, which added another dimension to the characters. A dimension which the physical book would not have been able to provide. There were minor quality issues throughout, which became more noticeable as the audiobook went on. The sound level frequently faded in and out, often mid-sentence. Tami Leah Lacy seems to be an extremely talented performer, but I would hire a sound engineer next time. ♣︎
June 22, 2017
This is a moment when you read reviews, read/listen to the book and wonder if the reviews were left for the same, so you re-read the reviews. Twice. And again.
Is this a typical wishywashy teeny bop book that is mainstreaming and diluting the gene pool?
I think the narrator was tops and disappointed she chose this book for a project. She portrayed the characters as they were presented. However, they were poorly dancing with religion, conversations, and war. Then each other. Their personalities didn't stick. Events nor nature evolved them. They changed as needed for plot or 'just because'.
The final chapters were unbearable and insufferable. After Gaius spends nearly his entire fortune to literally save her life, Olivia plays "strong woman" and asks who asked him to save her, has a fit, and demands she won't play Wife to him. Then the next morning, he wants to buy her clothes, and she wants to go and choose her own - with HIS money.
This was below trashy although it was a clean read.
Oh, did I mention she had little to no emotion when her brother was judged on a crime?
Another problem with the lack of world building: with the description based on pre-Christian mythological gods and goddesses, this was written with current language and ideology.
Beautifully read but a waste of talent.
I was so excited to receive this Audiobook but was unimpressed with it.
"I was given this free review copy audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this review."
Is this a typical wishywashy teeny bop book that is mainstreaming and diluting the gene pool?
I think the narrator was tops and disappointed she chose this book for a project. She portrayed the characters as they were presented. However, they were poorly dancing with religion, conversations, and war. Then each other. Their personalities didn't stick. Events nor nature evolved them. They changed as needed for plot or 'just because'.
The final chapters were unbearable and insufferable. After Gaius spends nearly his entire fortune to literally save her life, Olivia plays "strong woman" and asks who asked him to save her, has a fit, and demands she won't play Wife to him. Then the next morning, he wants to buy her clothes, and she wants to go and choose her own - with HIS money.
This was below trashy although it was a clean read.
Oh, did I mention she had little to no emotion when her brother was judged on a crime?
Another problem with the lack of world building: with the description based on pre-Christian mythological gods and goddesses, this was written with current language and ideology.
Beautifully read but a waste of talent.
I was so excited to receive this Audiobook but was unimpressed with it.
"I was given this free review copy audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this review."
April 12, 2025
Hard to enjoy. The narrator clearly had several sections that had to be re-recorded and the quality was different enough to make the listener wonder if this was a new character speaking and it broke the flow. The dialogue was so modern that it was hard to really get into a fantasy world or a world. I almost liked the characters. Didn’t care for Gaius. He wasn’t really fleshed out. Cassius was at lease entertaining. Lucia was a cartoon. I also don’t think there was an adequate set up or build to the resolution involving Lucia’s mom. It felt contrived. Still less egregious than the dialogue. I don’t know if it’s classified as YA fiction, but that would be the only thing I can think of that would prevent me from just writing it off altogether. I can positively say that it has potenial and the plot almost gets it right, but wife’s at the end.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 9, 2016
Read the review on my blog.
This was a joy read. I enjoyed reading it. The beginning was bit slow describing the daily temple duties of Olivia and her friends Marta and Lucia. Olivia is a 16 year old Vestal Virgin as her friends and they are devotees of the Goddess Vesta. Vesta is the Goddess of hearth, home and family. Vesta is said to exist only as flame and has no body. It is believed that the holy flame is unquenchable. But Olivia accidently finds out that the sacred flame is a hoax. The last six years of her devotion, faith and the sacrifices she had done to the holy flame is shaken. She needs an explanation.
Cassius, is an academy boy, comes in their aid to help them understand the matter. He tells them the story how Goddess Vesta came into existence. He tests the skills of these girls with secret experiments in growing plants. During one such time, Lucia revels her deadly powers by invoking Gods. In the meantime the Selanthi have declared war in the most offensive way possible. And their army stands at a ratio of 5:3 as compared to Parcaeans army.
Gaius is a military student, and he is angry on Cassius for putting the lives of these girls in a greater risk. As invoking Gods by females is a crime and the consequence is certain death. But when Gaius sees the powers the girls possess, he makes a different plan for these girls. He takes them as his students and starts their war ready training. In this process he finds out, that only women can make the cannon ball fly in a high arc that can destroy the enemy ships. As for this they need to invoke Goddess Diana, Goddess of hunt, moon and childbirth. Diana is a virgin goddess and will listen only to virgin girls. Now, he takes a decision that to save their country from Selanthi’s war, they will start recruiting as many girls as possible and start training them in war affairs and now to use the weapons and invoke gods. Though this is highly illegal. He is successful in convincing the flamens and the pontiffs that this is the need of the time, however illegal this might be. Olivia’s father abandons her from their family home for being a part of an illegal act and invoking the gods.
So the girl’s army starts materializing with hundreds of virgins joining in every day. Within a short span the war is declared. But the Selanthi’s had to face a defeat against the women power of Parcaeans. Olivia and Lucia turns into celebrities. The lady archers turn into national heroes. But the popularity of Olivia and Lucia keeps growing among the Parcaeans women as they were known as the girls who experimented and discovered Diana’s powers.
But their popularity among the women is becoming dangerous to the pontiff’s. The pontiff’s plans to make them look corrupted as vestal virgin among the public and wants to prosecute them both. Gaius was present when all these decision was taken against the two girls. He does not favour this and takes an extreme step to protect the girls. He pays huge money to get Olivia released from her vestal duties and takes her in his custody and marries her. Then he escapes with Olivia to a hide out for some time. In the meantime Cassius helps Lucia to escape. Unfortunately, Lucia returns back to the vestal home and is on the prosecution dice with hundreds of people around to see her get punished.
With the turn of events, the prosecution stops. Olivia, Lucia and Marta are safe. Olivia is happily married to Gaius. And as Lucia takes in charge of her responsibilities, she makes some good reforms in the society and in the lives of vestal virgins.
This book was a happy read. Everything is well, if it ends well. The description of the war strategy and Olivia using her presence of mind to defeat the Selanthi army is really good. Reader will enjoy the sarcasm dialogue exchange between Gaius and Cassius. The cat and mice fight between Olivia and Gaius and finally Gaius confession of his love for Olivia is also enjoyable. The one thing I liked about this book is that the main character in the book is not portrayed as the most good looking or charming person as compared with other books. Instead, Lucia was the most good looking and flirting character in the book. Gaius was arrogant and never tried to please any girl. Even he never tried to please Olivia whom he loved secretly and at times was very rude to her.
This was a joy read. I enjoyed reading it. The beginning was bit slow describing the daily temple duties of Olivia and her friends Marta and Lucia. Olivia is a 16 year old Vestal Virgin as her friends and they are devotees of the Goddess Vesta. Vesta is the Goddess of hearth, home and family. Vesta is said to exist only as flame and has no body. It is believed that the holy flame is unquenchable. But Olivia accidently finds out that the sacred flame is a hoax. The last six years of her devotion, faith and the sacrifices she had done to the holy flame is shaken. She needs an explanation.
Cassius, is an academy boy, comes in their aid to help them understand the matter. He tells them the story how Goddess Vesta came into existence. He tests the skills of these girls with secret experiments in growing plants. During one such time, Lucia revels her deadly powers by invoking Gods. In the meantime the Selanthi have declared war in the most offensive way possible. And their army stands at a ratio of 5:3 as compared to Parcaeans army.
Gaius is a military student, and he is angry on Cassius for putting the lives of these girls in a greater risk. As invoking Gods by females is a crime and the consequence is certain death. But when Gaius sees the powers the girls possess, he makes a different plan for these girls. He takes them as his students and starts their war ready training. In this process he finds out, that only women can make the cannon ball fly in a high arc that can destroy the enemy ships. As for this they need to invoke Goddess Diana, Goddess of hunt, moon and childbirth. Diana is a virgin goddess and will listen only to virgin girls. Now, he takes a decision that to save their country from Selanthi’s war, they will start recruiting as many girls as possible and start training them in war affairs and now to use the weapons and invoke gods. Though this is highly illegal. He is successful in convincing the flamens and the pontiffs that this is the need of the time, however illegal this might be. Olivia’s father abandons her from their family home for being a part of an illegal act and invoking the gods.
So the girl’s army starts materializing with hundreds of virgins joining in every day. Within a short span the war is declared. But the Selanthi’s had to face a defeat against the women power of Parcaeans. Olivia and Lucia turns into celebrities. The lady archers turn into national heroes. But the popularity of Olivia and Lucia keeps growing among the Parcaeans women as they were known as the girls who experimented and discovered Diana’s powers.
But their popularity among the women is becoming dangerous to the pontiff’s. The pontiff’s plans to make them look corrupted as vestal virgin among the public and wants to prosecute them both. Gaius was present when all these decision was taken against the two girls. He does not favour this and takes an extreme step to protect the girls. He pays huge money to get Olivia released from her vestal duties and takes her in his custody and marries her. Then he escapes with Olivia to a hide out for some time. In the meantime Cassius helps Lucia to escape. Unfortunately, Lucia returns back to the vestal home and is on the prosecution dice with hundreds of people around to see her get punished.
With the turn of events, the prosecution stops. Olivia, Lucia and Marta are safe. Olivia is happily married to Gaius. And as Lucia takes in charge of her responsibilities, she makes some good reforms in the society and in the lives of vestal virgins.
This book was a happy read. Everything is well, if it ends well. The description of the war strategy and Olivia using her presence of mind to defeat the Selanthi army is really good. Reader will enjoy the sarcasm dialogue exchange between Gaius and Cassius. The cat and mice fight between Olivia and Gaius and finally Gaius confession of his love for Olivia is also enjoyable. The one thing I liked about this book is that the main character in the book is not portrayed as the most good looking or charming person as compared with other books. Instead, Lucia was the most good looking and flirting character in the book. Gaius was arrogant and never tried to please any girl. Even he never tried to please Olivia whom he loved secretly and at times was very rude to her.
April 28, 2015
This review originally appeared on my blog at www.gimmethatbook.com.
I received this book from the author in exchange for this honest review.
The plot is fairly simple, with a crisis of faith coming in the early chapters. Apparently the flame of Vesta is encouraged to burn with the addition of lamp oil. This upsets Olivia, and her friends Cassius and Gaius try to soothe her mind. One of the things they do is get her involved in a secret project: invoking the gods (which is illegal for women) to make plants grow taller. Lucia, Olivia’s schoolmate, proves to be a natural, and this sets the course for the girls to help aid the army against invaders. There is family drama, teenage crushes, and lots of chatter between Oliva, Lucia, and Marta, a third classmate who seems to be cranky all of the time.
The writing is wonderfully descriptive, with details like clothing and living arrangements artfully detailed. Conversations between the teenagers sound correct, and Olivia’s crisis of faith is handled well. The only thing I had an issue with, and it may be my own, is manipulating my mindset to believe that these girls could summon up gods like Neptune and Diana to do their bidding. There is plenty of Latin phrases and some animal sacrifices as well, (no gore!) to set the tone, but I did have a hard time wrapping my mind around the fact that some of the girls could do it and the men could not. There is much talk of “summoning the gods” by the men, but no information on whether it worked every time or not.
The three Vestal Virgins discover more about themselves and their character as their country goes to war and they come under fire for being allowed to develop power and independence. I did like the fact that there were strong female characters that didn’t have their head in the clouds all the time, dreaming about a husband. Heck–these girls are VIRGINS–there’s no way for them to even GET a husband without being “bought out” of the cult of Vesta; and the price is so high that it almost never happens.
There are a few twists at the end, and I was encouraged to find that the girls weren’t content to put their head back in the sand once the war came to an end. I’d love to read more about Olivia and Lucia. Their friendship grew stronger as the book went on, and by the end, all five characters were tightly bonded. The author could definitely make this a series, bringing some of the lesser characters to the front so we could learn more about them. Perhaps a prequel with a backstory of Olivia and her brother might be in order.
If you are a YA fan that also loves an ancient Roman setting, you will delight in this easy and uplifting read. Want your own copy? You can pick it up here.
I received this book from the author in exchange for this honest review.
The plot is fairly simple, with a crisis of faith coming in the early chapters. Apparently the flame of Vesta is encouraged to burn with the addition of lamp oil. This upsets Olivia, and her friends Cassius and Gaius try to soothe her mind. One of the things they do is get her involved in a secret project: invoking the gods (which is illegal for women) to make plants grow taller. Lucia, Olivia’s schoolmate, proves to be a natural, and this sets the course for the girls to help aid the army against invaders. There is family drama, teenage crushes, and lots of chatter between Oliva, Lucia, and Marta, a third classmate who seems to be cranky all of the time.
The writing is wonderfully descriptive, with details like clothing and living arrangements artfully detailed. Conversations between the teenagers sound correct, and Olivia’s crisis of faith is handled well. The only thing I had an issue with, and it may be my own, is manipulating my mindset to believe that these girls could summon up gods like Neptune and Diana to do their bidding. There is plenty of Latin phrases and some animal sacrifices as well, (no gore!) to set the tone, but I did have a hard time wrapping my mind around the fact that some of the girls could do it and the men could not. There is much talk of “summoning the gods” by the men, but no information on whether it worked every time or not.
The three Vestal Virgins discover more about themselves and their character as their country goes to war and they come under fire for being allowed to develop power and independence. I did like the fact that there were strong female characters that didn’t have their head in the clouds all the time, dreaming about a husband. Heck–these girls are VIRGINS–there’s no way for them to even GET a husband without being “bought out” of the cult of Vesta; and the price is so high that it almost never happens.
There are a few twists at the end, and I was encouraged to find that the girls weren’t content to put their head back in the sand once the war came to an end. I’d love to read more about Olivia and Lucia. Their friendship grew stronger as the book went on, and by the end, all five characters were tightly bonded. The author could definitely make this a series, bringing some of the lesser characters to the front so we could learn more about them. Perhaps a prequel with a backstory of Olivia and her brother might be in order.
If you are a YA fan that also loves an ancient Roman setting, you will delight in this easy and uplifting read. Want your own copy? You can pick it up here.
August 16, 2015
I have recieved a copy of this book, in exchange for an honest review.
I really enjoyed reading Goddess.
It has a good mix of brilliant characters, some love and of course the interesting mythology. I also think it was very well-written.
Olivia is our headcharacter, and a Vestal Virgin. She is faithful, so when she discovers the secret about Vesta - the goddess she has been praying to for years - her world is turned upside-down. Because the big secret is: Vesta is a false goddess, that the men invented to supress the women.
The story behind the invention of Vesta is very exciting and a good idea. That´s one of the things I liked very much.
After Olivia´s discovery about Vesta, she starts experimenting about invoking the gods with her friends Lucia and Marta, who is also Vestal Virgins. They experiment with the boy Cassius, who helps them discover their powers.
Olivia, Lucia, Marta, Cassius and Gaius is the most important characters in the book, and I liked them all very much.
Olivia was a very fine headcharacter who insisted on going her own way, but the most surprising character was Lucia.
In the start she was so cheerful all the time, and Marta and Olivia saw her as a bit silly sometimes, which some readers may also have done. But you find out that she is a smart and brave person, and actually the best at invoking the gods, which makes very good sense in the end of the novel.
At first Marta was so irritated and always in a bad mood, which made me dislike her a bit, but she had her reasons, and I turned out to like her a lot.
Cassius and Gaius is also fantastic characters with surprises, especially Gaius surprised me with the way he softened in the end.
What I´m trying to say is, that it´s a long time ago, I have enjoyed the fictional characters this much!
I always likes a good love story, and there was some love in this, but not much. But I didn´t mind the missing love, because it worked well, that it took some time for it to come.
The dialogue in this book is actually quite modern. Some people might think that it´s weird, but I liked it, and think that it gave the novel good energy.
I think the only thing I missed - mostly in the start - was more action. But I think it´s a brilliant novel, and I hope more people will choose to read it!
I really enjoyed reading Goddess.
It has a good mix of brilliant characters, some love and of course the interesting mythology. I also think it was very well-written.
Olivia is our headcharacter, and a Vestal Virgin. She is faithful, so when she discovers the secret about Vesta - the goddess she has been praying to for years - her world is turned upside-down. Because the big secret is: Vesta is a false goddess, that the men invented to supress the women.
The story behind the invention of Vesta is very exciting and a good idea. That´s one of the things I liked very much.
After Olivia´s discovery about Vesta, she starts experimenting about invoking the gods with her friends Lucia and Marta, who is also Vestal Virgins. They experiment with the boy Cassius, who helps them discover their powers.
Olivia, Lucia, Marta, Cassius and Gaius is the most important characters in the book, and I liked them all very much.
Olivia was a very fine headcharacter who insisted on going her own way, but the most surprising character was Lucia.
In the start she was so cheerful all the time, and Marta and Olivia saw her as a bit silly sometimes, which some readers may also have done. But you find out that she is a smart and brave person, and actually the best at invoking the gods, which makes very good sense in the end of the novel.
At first Marta was so irritated and always in a bad mood, which made me dislike her a bit, but she had her reasons, and I turned out to like her a lot.
Cassius and Gaius is also fantastic characters with surprises, especially Gaius surprised me with the way he softened in the end.
What I´m trying to say is, that it´s a long time ago, I have enjoyed the fictional characters this much!
I always likes a good love story, and there was some love in this, but not much. But I didn´t mind the missing love, because it worked well, that it took some time for it to come.
The dialogue in this book is actually quite modern. Some people might think that it´s weird, but I liked it, and think that it gave the novel good energy.
I think the only thing I missed - mostly in the start - was more action. But I think it´s a brilliant novel, and I hope more people will choose to read it!
August 14, 2015
(I received a free copy of this book in exchange for a review).
(This review may contain spoilers).
I have to say, first of all, that although the blurb of this book sounded really intriguing, the cover doesn't really fit with the setting of the book. It's a really nice cover... but it doesn't seem to fit well with the feel of a historical book.
I was glad to see that the book stuck with one first person perspective. I liked Olivia. She came across as a character who had a lot of depth to her and I found it easy to empathise with her. She was likable and had a lot of depth to her. I also liked reading about how she interacts with the other characters around her.
I do think this book had too much of a modern feel to it. There was too much modern-day slang and swear words used and they kept throwing me out of the book. I was really quite disappointed, as it seemed that, apart from that, a lot of research had gone into building the world in this book. It was the language used that prevented me from being drawn into the book.
I thought Lucia and Marta were interesting characters. I thought it was good that Lucia was the one who was better at working the miracles and not Olivia, since it made Olivia a more well-rounded character.
It was interesting to be able to see more of the different gods and goddesses in those times and it was pretty cool to see the translations for the prayers they used. I liked the hints of some deeper feelings developing between Olivia and Gaius... but there wasn't really the 'payoff' that I was expecting by the end of the book between them.
I thought some of the descriptions came across really well and there were times I was really able to emotionally connect with the characters. I would have liked to see more of Marta in this book... I saw a lot of Lucia and Olivia, but not really much of Marta, which was a shame, since there were hints that she was a character with a lot of depth to her.
I wasn't sure I liked the ending. In many ways, it seemed rather anticlimactic, considering what went on before. At the same time, I would be interested in reading a sequel to this book and seeing more of Olivia and Gaius especially.
(This review may contain spoilers).
I have to say, first of all, that although the blurb of this book sounded really intriguing, the cover doesn't really fit with the setting of the book. It's a really nice cover... but it doesn't seem to fit well with the feel of a historical book.
I was glad to see that the book stuck with one first person perspective. I liked Olivia. She came across as a character who had a lot of depth to her and I found it easy to empathise with her. She was likable and had a lot of depth to her. I also liked reading about how she interacts with the other characters around her.
I do think this book had too much of a modern feel to it. There was too much modern-day slang and swear words used and they kept throwing me out of the book. I was really quite disappointed, as it seemed that, apart from that, a lot of research had gone into building the world in this book. It was the language used that prevented me from being drawn into the book.
I thought Lucia and Marta were interesting characters. I thought it was good that Lucia was the one who was better at working the miracles and not Olivia, since it made Olivia a more well-rounded character.
It was interesting to be able to see more of the different gods and goddesses in those times and it was pretty cool to see the translations for the prayers they used. I liked the hints of some deeper feelings developing between Olivia and Gaius... but there wasn't really the 'payoff' that I was expecting by the end of the book between them.
I thought some of the descriptions came across really well and there were times I was really able to emotionally connect with the characters. I would have liked to see more of Marta in this book... I saw a lot of Lucia and Olivia, but not really much of Marta, which was a shame, since there were hints that she was a character with a lot of depth to her.
I wasn't sure I liked the ending. In many ways, it seemed rather anticlimactic, considering what went on before. At the same time, I would be interested in reading a sequel to this book and seeing more of Olivia and Gaius especially.
March 24, 2015
I'm not going to lie: I enjoyed this book a lot more than I expected to!
At the beginning, the book was a bit too heavy on the religion side of things. It was all about Olivia's devotion to Vesta, the practices of the temples, and the close-minded beliefs of the Greeks. But once she finds out that Vesta is a fake (a beautiful reveal, I might add, though a bit clumsily done), the story gets interesting.
I did not like how the technology relied on divine favor to work, but that's just my preferences. The explanations of how the divine favor worked wasn't very clear. There were a few mistakes in the use of tenses, not to mention the occasional typo.
One thing I didn't like was how inconsistent the personalities of the characters were. They seem fairly bland, but particularly Cassius and Gaius have no real personalities to define them. They changed from chapter to chapter, until the author finally settles on one personality type near the end. Made the characters less interesting.
The author showed EXCELLENT understanding of the Greek Pantheon, which, as a mythology lover, I found awesome. There were a few anachronsisms (like "shopping bags" or "bombs"), but overall it was fine.
The ending stuck in my craw a bit. It's the clichéd "deux ex machina" ending. There was no personal sacrifice required from the heroine to achieve the final ending, and there was no suffering or character growth. It was a bit "meh" overall.
But, all in all, I enjoyed the book, and I'd recommend it to anyone who isn't as particular or finicky as I am!
At the beginning, the book was a bit too heavy on the religion side of things. It was all about Olivia's devotion to Vesta, the practices of the temples, and the close-minded beliefs of the Greeks. But once she finds out that Vesta is a fake (a beautiful reveal, I might add, though a bit clumsily done), the story gets interesting.
I did not like how the technology relied on divine favor to work, but that's just my preferences. The explanations of how the divine favor worked wasn't very clear. There were a few mistakes in the use of tenses, not to mention the occasional typo.
One thing I didn't like was how inconsistent the personalities of the characters were. They seem fairly bland, but particularly Cassius and Gaius have no real personalities to define them. They changed from chapter to chapter, until the author finally settles on one personality type near the end. Made the characters less interesting.
The author showed EXCELLENT understanding of the Greek Pantheon, which, as a mythology lover, I found awesome. There were a few anachronsisms (like "shopping bags" or "bombs"), but overall it was fine.
The ending stuck in my craw a bit. It's the clichéd "deux ex machina" ending. There was no personal sacrifice required from the heroine to achieve the final ending, and there was no suffering or character growth. It was a bit "meh" overall.
But, all in all, I enjoyed the book, and I'd recommend it to anyone who isn't as particular or finicky as I am!
May 27, 2015
I received a copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review.
Young adult fantasy fiction with a very realistic undertone, readers of all ages will love Goddess!
Set around a teenage Vestal Virgin who worships the goddess Vesta, until Vesta is proven to be a fake. The story goes from highly fictional to highly real very quickly. It's impossible to miss the morals and virtues they want to instill in young girls, and it is very heavy throughout the book, and it is so much so that it might turn readers off before they have the chance to get to the good parts, and that's a shame.
Because this story is so much more than morals and virtues. It is about friendship, female empowerment and the consequences of worshiping false goddesses (as in, young girls looking up to people like Kim Kardashian and Ariana Grande, who promote nothing that is positive).
A big part of the story revolves around the men not wanting the women to discover their powers, and I find that very powerful, showing teenage girls that they do have power, and that they are worth more than society wants them to think. It's not about their looks, their money or their appeal to the opposite sex: it's about teaching them to discover themselves.
On the fictional side, the writing is bright and humorous, despite the serious topics the book tackles. Ms. Hunter makes ancient peoples seem modern and relevant, promoting positivity while making you laugh, sigh and start to ship certain characters together. A great story!
Young adult fantasy fiction with a very realistic undertone, readers of all ages will love Goddess!
Set around a teenage Vestal Virgin who worships the goddess Vesta, until Vesta is proven to be a fake. The story goes from highly fictional to highly real very quickly. It's impossible to miss the morals and virtues they want to instill in young girls, and it is very heavy throughout the book, and it is so much so that it might turn readers off before they have the chance to get to the good parts, and that's a shame.
Because this story is so much more than morals and virtues. It is about friendship, female empowerment and the consequences of worshiping false goddesses (as in, young girls looking up to people like Kim Kardashian and Ariana Grande, who promote nothing that is positive).
A big part of the story revolves around the men not wanting the women to discover their powers, and I find that very powerful, showing teenage girls that they do have power, and that they are worth more than society wants them to think. It's not about their looks, their money or their appeal to the opposite sex: it's about teaching them to discover themselves.
On the fictional side, the writing is bright and humorous, despite the serious topics the book tackles. Ms. Hunter makes ancient peoples seem modern and relevant, promoting positivity while making you laugh, sigh and start to ship certain characters together. A great story!
August 6, 2015
Three young women have been selected to serve the Goddess Vesta as Vestal Virgins and they discover that you can’t always believe what you have been taught. Ms. Hunter has created an interesting and entertaining novel using themes from ancient mythology. This novel has several elements that I like in novels that are aimed at young adults; the importance of friendship, female characters that are strong and capable of thinking for themselves without relying on a man, morals and an underlying theme about worshipping false “goddesses”. The last I thought was very timely since in today’s media crazed world where no matter what forum you are using you are inundated with stories about the Kardashians/Jenners and others who too many try to emulate for no other reason than they are famous.
The author does an excellent job describing living arrangements, clothing, scenery and the ceremonies and the characters of the three young “goddesses” are well-drawn but the characters of Gaius and Cassius are so poorly done that even their personalities change from chapter to chapter which is disconcerting. Overall, this book is entertaining and enjoyable for readers of all ages.
**4.25/5 STARS: I want to thank the author for providing me a copy of this book via GoodReads Read It & Reap forum in exchange for an honest review; all opinions are mine.**
The author does an excellent job describing living arrangements, clothing, scenery and the ceremonies and the characters of the three young “goddesses” are well-drawn but the characters of Gaius and Cassius are so poorly done that even their personalities change from chapter to chapter which is disconcerting. Overall, this book is entertaining and enjoyable for readers of all ages.
**4.25/5 STARS: I want to thank the author for providing me a copy of this book via GoodReads Read It & Reap forum in exchange for an honest review; all opinions are mine.**
October 2, 2015
Let's suppose the Roman Empire happened on another planet. Let's suppose that the Roman gods and goddesses actually exist. This is the set-up for "Goddess." But don't suppose that you know what is going to happen. I was taken by surprise many times in this first eBook by Callista Hunter. Quite frankly, the world of "Goddess" sounded a lot better than this one.
I recently read an alternate-world fantasy series by Mercedes Lackey (which focused on ancient Egypt instead of ancient Rome.) There are a lot of similarities in that the world is recognizable and yet bizarre. However, Lackey's Joust series wound up being dull and a real chore to get through. Goddess was a lot of fun to read.
What really made the virtual pages turn in this eBook were the characters. They were quirky and well fleshed out so that I found myself thinking about them in times when I wasn't reading the story. I cared about what happened to them.
The only problem I had was with the characters' dialogue. They talk like 21st century Americans and have trouble with their Latin. Granted, this is not the Roman Empire exactly and I am an old fogey but it did startle me at times -- especially as I'm not up on whatever version of English the kids these days use.
I recently read an alternate-world fantasy series by Mercedes Lackey (which focused on ancient Egypt instead of ancient Rome.) There are a lot of similarities in that the world is recognizable and yet bizarre. However, Lackey's Joust series wound up being dull and a real chore to get through. Goddess was a lot of fun to read.
What really made the virtual pages turn in this eBook were the characters. They were quirky and well fleshed out so that I found myself thinking about them in times when I wasn't reading the story. I cared about what happened to them.
The only problem I had was with the characters' dialogue. They talk like 21st century Americans and have trouble with their Latin. Granted, this is not the Roman Empire exactly and I am an old fogey but it did startle me at times -- especially as I'm not up on whatever version of English the kids these days use.
February 9, 2015
Set in a country evocative of Ancient Rome, Goddess is the story of three feisty young Vestal Virgins discovering their true power.
Damned if they do, damned if they don't...
As Parcae comes under threat from neighbours intent on conquest, Olivia, Marta, and Lucia are recruited to invoke the blessing and power of the gods to save their nation from destruction. The catch? Invocation is forbidden for anyone but male priests and the punishment for them breaking the law is sure to be a fast execution. Even if the girls can win the battle, will their service be enough to keep them alive when powerful men are out for blood?
I loved the sweet relationship between Gaius and Olivia and all the more so because they're two people who could never have been together. The punishment for getting too close to a Vestal is horrific but Gaius took the risk of caring for her anyway and I can't imagine any woman being immune to that kind of devotion. He's definitely book boyfriend material!
4/5 stars for originality and because the characters were real enough for me to get attached to them.
Damned if they do, damned if they don't...
As Parcae comes under threat from neighbours intent on conquest, Olivia, Marta, and Lucia are recruited to invoke the blessing and power of the gods to save their nation from destruction. The catch? Invocation is forbidden for anyone but male priests and the punishment for them breaking the law is sure to be a fast execution. Even if the girls can win the battle, will their service be enough to keep them alive when powerful men are out for blood?
I loved the sweet relationship between Gaius and Olivia and all the more so because they're two people who could never have been together. The punishment for getting too close to a Vestal is horrific but Gaius took the risk of caring for her anyway and I can't imagine any woman being immune to that kind of devotion. He's definitely book boyfriend material!
4/5 stars for originality and because the characters were real enough for me to get attached to them.
January 27, 2015
I loved this story of young girls who find their voices and their power while saving their country. Olivia, Lucia, and Marta begin the tale devoted but marginalized in their roles as Vestal Virgins. Yes, women come to them for advice and guidance regarding matters of home and hearth. And yet, they are not allowed to actually invoke the gods- that's only for the men. Until, of course, they do.
When they realize the truth of their power, and that it may be the only thing that can save them all, they risk their own lives for the greater good, and in the process, find out exactly what they are capable of.
I love these characters (Oh, Cassius: never change!) and I loved watching them grow.
Callista Hunter did a great job of exploring what life might have been like for the real Vestal Virgins, and created a world evocative of Ancient Rome. The idea is original, fresh, and fascinating to read.
When they realize the truth of their power, and that it may be the only thing that can save them all, they risk their own lives for the greater good, and in the process, find out exactly what they are capable of.
I love these characters (Oh, Cassius: never change!) and I loved watching them grow.
Callista Hunter did a great job of exploring what life might have been like for the real Vestal Virgins, and created a world evocative of Ancient Rome. The idea is original, fresh, and fascinating to read.
August 18, 2015
All I can say is, read it!!!
Although some of the dialogue and events were inaccurate for the time period it was set in, for me it did not detract from its value, I loved it!
It was gripping, funny, witty, charming, and at times deeply unsettling but for me that's what you need from a good story, to experience all emotions and hopefully finish on a high.
It was original and yes, daft at times but that's what I liked about it. I loved all the characters, and the way they interacted with Olivia. It was also refreshing to see that the main character wasn't the "belle of the ball" or amazing at everything. She had flaws which made her more realistic and relatable.
I would definitely read any sequels
Although some of the dialogue and events were inaccurate for the time period it was set in, for me it did not detract from its value, I loved it!
It was gripping, funny, witty, charming, and at times deeply unsettling but for me that's what you need from a good story, to experience all emotions and hopefully finish on a high.
It was original and yes, daft at times but that's what I liked about it. I loved all the characters, and the way they interacted with Olivia. It was also refreshing to see that the main character wasn't the "belle of the ball" or amazing at everything. She had flaws which made her more realistic and relatable.
I would definitely read any sequels
June 1, 2015
I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Very enjoyable read about a girl who discovers that everything she's been taught to hold dear is nothing more than a myth.
I loved Olivia's coming of age story as she begins to realize that there is much more to her (and her friends) than she once thought.
I few through this book very quickly, enjoying the lighthearted moments, and the quick progression of the plot. It's a unique tale and even though it's set in an ancient time, the dialogue was well written and easy to read. I'm curious to see if there will be a follow up book.
Very enjoyable read about a girl who discovers that everything she's been taught to hold dear is nothing more than a myth.
I loved Olivia's coming of age story as she begins to realize that there is much more to her (and her friends) than she once thought.
I few through this book very quickly, enjoying the lighthearted moments, and the quick progression of the plot. It's a unique tale and even though it's set in an ancient time, the dialogue was well written and easy to read. I'm curious to see if there will be a follow up book.
August 7, 2015
I received this book in exchange for a review.
Olivia has been a Vestal Virgin in training for six years. Olivia is the most devout of her friends. When she accidentally discovers Vesta is fake, her faith is shaken. Olivia and her friends began experimenting with invoking the powers of the gods with the help of Cassius. As their powers grow, it is discovered that they could save their country from the coming war. The religious leaders could have them put to death for these experiments.
I enjoyed the book. There are just a few places that needs editing. The ending of the book leaves an opening for a sequel.
Olivia has been a Vestal Virgin in training for six years. Olivia is the most devout of her friends. When she accidentally discovers Vesta is fake, her faith is shaken. Olivia and her friends began experimenting with invoking the powers of the gods with the help of Cassius. As their powers grow, it is discovered that they could save their country from the coming war. The religious leaders could have them put to death for these experiments.
I enjoyed the book. There are just a few places that needs editing. The ending of the book leaves an opening for a sequel.
August 19, 2015
I received this book for free in exchange for a review.
Overall, this is a good book with an interesting story line. I would recommend it for pre-teens/middle school aged as a mythical fiction.
At first I was thrown off by the modern dialogue and some of the phrases that are used by the characters as they don't fit with the time line, but eventually I thought that it gave the book a more relatable tone. While the people of that time most likely didn't use the same phrases we use today, they most likely had their own that correspond to the ones used in the text.
The story moves quickly and there isn't much background or build up, but it works fine as an interesting short story.
Overall, this is a good book with an interesting story line. I would recommend it for pre-teens/middle school aged as a mythical fiction.
At first I was thrown off by the modern dialogue and some of the phrases that are used by the characters as they don't fit with the time line, but eventually I thought that it gave the book a more relatable tone. While the people of that time most likely didn't use the same phrases we use today, they most likely had their own that correspond to the ones used in the text.
The story moves quickly and there isn't much background or build up, but it works fine as an interesting short story.
April 2, 2015
I really want a sequel. A different vein of book than I have been reading of late, Goddess is fun. It comes with spunky heroines who flaunt the expected role that society have set out for them, I really enjoyed the classical trappings and how each character served a specific purpose. Not to mention the useful ability to invoke the gods to win a war.
If there was anything I would change it would be to have more. I am a big fan of world building and am interested in seeing what else is out there.
If there was anything I would change it would be to have more. I am a big fan of world building and am interested in seeing what else is out there.
February 27, 2015
Such a fun read. The classics nerd in me absolutely lived a story told from the perspective of a Vestal Virgin. I haven't read something like this before.
It kept me guessing just when I thought I had the story figured out. It was great to see young women gain their voices and come into their power in a time where society was dominated by men.
This is a must read for fans of historical fiction, Greek and Roman society, and action.
It kept me guessing just when I thought I had the story figured out. It was great to see young women gain their voices and come into their power in a time where society was dominated by men.
This is a must read for fans of historical fiction, Greek and Roman society, and action.
March 10, 2015
Woman Power
Just three Vestal Virgins going about their their temple duties some more reverently than the others But in the aftermath of learning Vesta is a fake goddess, Olivia, Marta and Lucia learn they can invoke the gods without a priest and discover they are the only weapon that will prevail in the war with their enemy. The bad news this is illegal and the punishment is to have you eyes poked out, and burial alive. Piece of cake, or is it?
Just three Vestal Virgins going about their their temple duties some more reverently than the others But in the aftermath of learning Vesta is a fake goddess, Olivia, Marta and Lucia learn they can invoke the gods without a priest and discover they are the only weapon that will prevail in the war with their enemy. The bad news this is illegal and the punishment is to have you eyes poked out, and burial alive. Piece of cake, or is it?
February 13, 2015
This book was a very creative book. I do enjoy mythical books as well. This one was no exception. I think watching these characters grow was very different and made me relate more to this book. Also bringing in a little bit of the roman times was just a touch of greatness for me. You should check it out. * I was given this book from the author in exchange for an honest review*
January 28, 2015
I enjoyed this book so much that I had a hard time putting it down. I fell in love with some of the characters and despised others. The book made me happy and sad then very happy again. I highly recommend this book to anyone who has enjoyed YA novels before.
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