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Goddess Girls #18
Hestia the Invisible (18)
Hestia feels unseen at Mount Olympus Academy in this eighteenth Goddess Girls adventure.
256 pages, Hardcover
First published December 1, 2015
137 people are currently reading
1190 people want to read
About the author
Joan Holub
349 books1,236 followersNY Times bestselling children's book author:
GODDESS GIRLS series + HEROES IN TRAINING series (w Suzanne Williams); THIS LITTLE TRAILBLAZER a Girl Power Primer; ZERO THE HERO; I AM THE SHARK. Lucky to be doing what I love!
GODDESS GIRLS series + HEROES IN TRAINING series (w Suzanne Williams); THIS LITTLE TRAILBLAZER a Girl Power Primer; ZERO THE HERO; I AM THE SHARK. Lucky to be doing what I love!
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 37 reviews
February 26, 2016
After so many disappointing books in these series, Holub and Williams are finally bringing their old flair back!
5 stars.
I kept grinning like an idiot as I read this, it was just so refreshing to read a goddess girl book that reminded me of why I loved these series in the first place.
After multiple disappointing books, I was just about ready to give up on this series all together. But then, something compelled me to give this one a chance.... and I'm glad I did, because it was awesome!
So far we've met different types of main characters in the other books: popular goddesses, mean ones, one who gossip too much (I'm looking at you Pheme), and even a nosy mortal. We've seen goddess who can cast rainbows, and even a mermaid at some point.
The main character wasn't as 'unique'. She seemed quite ordinary, even invisible on the outside.
But this goddess wasn't the least bit boring on the inside. She was the goddess of the hearth, and could produce fire by slapping her handa together.
Her love for cooking was made easier
I loved Hestia. She was a loner, a very shy type (don't think I've seen a shy goddess yet).
Her best friends were the lunch ladies. They were her comrades when the other kids barely acknowledged her.
Of all the lunch ladies, Ms. Xena was her favorite. Ms. Xena had pretty much rescued her from loneliness when Hestia had started school at Mount Olympus Academy back in third grade.
Being a loner has it's perks, but it also means you're, well, lonely.
Hestia was tired of being invisible and wanted to make some friends for a change!
Watching her try to figure out the *secret of making friendships* was a joy to read, and so relatable. Yes, I think that's what I loved most about this book.
When she’d first come to MOA, she had searched her pale pink Goddessgirl Guide scroll for advice on making friends. But there was no chapter on that. Too bad there wasn’t a Friendship Guide scroll she could consult to answer her most perplexing questions.
Like, how many times do you need to talk to someone to call them a friend? Five times? Ten? Twenty? A hundred? That was a lot of talking for someone as shy as she was. And maybe it wasn’t enough just to talk. Maybe you had to do stuff together too. Like going to get shakes at the Supernatural Market. Or shopping together at the Immortal Marketplace. She’d done these things before, but usually by herself. Because she’d always been too shy to ask anyone along. What if they said no? She’d be crushed!
Hestia then decides to jot down a list, which consisted 5 things she always wanted to do but never had the guts:
1. Sit with someone new at lunch.
2. Stand up for someone.
3. Talk to a boy.
4. Try something I’d normally say no to.
5. Take a truly big, bold cooking risk!
She does complete her list and made quite a few friends akong the way.
This was a short novel, and it's writing was simple but to the point.
But watching Hestia grow as a character and slowly change before my eyes was the best part of the book!
5 stars.
I kept grinning like an idiot as I read this, it was just so refreshing to read a goddess girl book that reminded me of why I loved these series in the first place.
After multiple disappointing books, I was just about ready to give up on this series all together. But then, something compelled me to give this one a chance.... and I'm glad I did, because it was awesome!
So far we've met different types of main characters in the other books: popular goddesses, mean ones, one who gossip too much (I'm looking at you Pheme), and even a nosy mortal. We've seen goddess who can cast rainbows, and even a mermaid at some point.
The main character wasn't as 'unique'. She seemed quite ordinary, even invisible on the outside.
But this goddess wasn't the least bit boring on the inside. She was the goddess of the hearth, and could produce fire by slapping her handa together.
Her love for cooking was made easier
I loved Hestia. She was a loner, a very shy type (don't think I've seen a shy goddess yet).
Her best friends were the lunch ladies. They were her comrades when the other kids barely acknowledged her.
Of all the lunch ladies, Ms. Xena was her favorite. Ms. Xena had pretty much rescued her from loneliness when Hestia had started school at Mount Olympus Academy back in third grade.
Being a loner has it's perks, but it also means you're, well, lonely.
Hestia was tired of being invisible and wanted to make some friends for a change!
Watching her try to figure out the *secret of making friendships* was a joy to read, and so relatable. Yes, I think that's what I loved most about this book.
When she’d first come to MOA, she had searched her pale pink Goddessgirl Guide scroll for advice on making friends. But there was no chapter on that. Too bad there wasn’t a Friendship Guide scroll she could consult to answer her most perplexing questions.
Like, how many times do you need to talk to someone to call them a friend? Five times? Ten? Twenty? A hundred? That was a lot of talking for someone as shy as she was. And maybe it wasn’t enough just to talk. Maybe you had to do stuff together too. Like going to get shakes at the Supernatural Market. Or shopping together at the Immortal Marketplace. She’d done these things before, but usually by herself. Because she’d always been too shy to ask anyone along. What if they said no? She’d be crushed!
Hestia then decides to jot down a list, which consisted 5 things she always wanted to do but never had the guts:
1. Sit with someone new at lunch.
2. Stand up for someone.
3. Talk to a boy.
4. Try something I’d normally say no to.
5. Take a truly big, bold cooking risk!
She does complete her list and made quite a few friends akong the way.
This was a short novel, and it's writing was simple but to the point.
But watching Hestia grow as a character and slowly change before my eyes was the best part of the book!
Want to read
January 4, 2016Hestia is my favorite Goddess. This book seems promising! :-)
March 20, 2016
Cheesy & girly, but great mythology none-the-less.
April 7, 2024
➳ 4 ⋆ ˚｡⋆୨୧˚
what the heck, these books were always so good and then got worse for a bit and then got so much better again.
this one was such a good time! hestia is such a relatable and realistic main character and the whole plot about her coming out of her shell and learning to be less shy was paced very well. also, the FOOD DESCRIPTIONS had my mouth watering the entire time.
i think Hestia is one of my favorites apart from medusa and the main four ™ and i hope to see more of her in the future. the romance was cute and not so forced as some of the others.
i just can’t wait to keep reading these books!!
୧ ‧₊˚ 🍓 ⋅ ☆
what the heck, these books were always so good and then got worse for a bit and then got so much better again.
this one was such a good time! hestia is such a relatable and realistic main character and the whole plot about her coming out of her shell and learning to be less shy was paced very well. also, the FOOD DESCRIPTIONS had my mouth watering the entire time.
i think Hestia is one of my favorites apart from medusa and the main four ™ and i hope to see more of her in the future. the romance was cute and not so forced as some of the others.
i just can’t wait to keep reading these books!!
୧ ‧₊˚ 🍓 ⋅ ☆
February 6, 2016
I liked this story a lot.
March 9, 2016
Cute but some problematic moments.
Hestia is the Goddess of the Hearth. After a quick prologue where she brings the idea of centralized hearth-fires to humanity, she is whisked off to MOA. Skip ahead a bunch and we see Hestia feeling mostly invisible at school; doing her best to hide at the back of classes, not be noticed, and skipping off to help the two lunch ladies in the cafeteria any time she can because cooking is her favorite. When a contest for a new Service to Humanity Award is launched for the godboys and godgirls of MOA; Hestia shyly begins working on her iconic "symbol" but can only think of a cooking pot. With the help of new friends, some prophecy, setting a list of goals, and her own determination to be different, Hestia works out a new symbol, talks to a boy, and even takes some cooking risks!
This was cute and I enjoyed the story of Hestia coming out of her shy shell to interact more with the others students at MOA and finding her own perfect symbol, making friends, taking a few cooking risks, and even reducing the urge to hide behind her chiton's hood. It was also nice to have a story which was nearly empty of the Boy Like (though be assured, there is some gentle interaction with boys which is nicely done). However, Pheme's rather mean-spirited gossip column was rather poorly resolved with everyone going "Oh, but that's just PHEME! She means no harm!" as if making up lies and printing them as truth is all fine as long as most people know it's probably false? Seemed a bad take-away.
Hestia is the Goddess of the Hearth. After a quick prologue where she brings the idea of centralized hearth-fires to humanity, she is whisked off to MOA. Skip ahead a bunch and we see Hestia feeling mostly invisible at school; doing her best to hide at the back of classes, not be noticed, and skipping off to help the two lunch ladies in the cafeteria any time she can because cooking is her favorite. When a contest for a new Service to Humanity Award is launched for the godboys and godgirls of MOA; Hestia shyly begins working on her iconic "symbol" but can only think of a cooking pot. With the help of new friends, some prophecy, setting a list of goals, and her own determination to be different, Hestia works out a new symbol, talks to a boy, and even takes some cooking risks!
This was cute and I enjoyed the story of Hestia coming out of her shy shell to interact more with the others students at MOA and finding her own perfect symbol, making friends, taking a few cooking risks, and even reducing the urge to hide behind her chiton's hood. It was also nice to have a story which was nearly empty of the Boy Like (though be assured, there is some gentle interaction with boys which is nicely done). However, Pheme's rather mean-spirited gossip column was rather poorly resolved with everyone going "Oh, but that's just PHEME! She means no harm!" as if making up lies and printing them as truth is all fine as long as most people know it's probably false? Seemed a bad take-away.
August 2, 2016
Hestia, a Goddess who attends Mount Olympus Academy or MOA has a unique talent. Not only can she make fire with her hands, she loves to cook! Hestia is also the ONLY Goddess who has hoods attached to her chitons. Her shyness covers her talents and makes her practically invisible to all at MOA. She learns about a special contest open to all that will name the one who provides the greatest Service to Mankind she enters the contest. Hestia along with the others has to choose a symbol that illustrates her service. When she chooses a cooking pot, some of the other Goddesses laugh. Hestia is determined however to enter the contest. Once she visits the Gray Ladies and accepts help from a lizard boy named Asca, Hestia begins to make friends and enjoys sharing her gifts. Another delightful story from the Goddess Girls series. Important life lessons are distilled through characters who learn and grow and have fun!
April 22, 2018
Meet the goddess you never noticed before! Hestia, a very shy and sweet goddess, prefers to help the Lunch Ladies in the kitchen and avoids her class mates. But when there's an award about service to humankind, Hestia tries to change her reputation. Will Hestia develop her fiery side and make new friends?
Hestia is my favorite goddess in the series because she is such a sweet character and finds her true self. It was a pleasant book, full of cooking and kitchen fun. She gets the lizard boy Asca as a very good friend, who prefers to be invisible with his camouflage ability. I really would like to read more about the two invisibles in future Goddess Girls books, as long as the series is existing.
Hestia is my favorite goddess in the series because she is such a sweet character and finds her true self. It was a pleasant book, full of cooking and kitchen fun. She gets the lizard boy Asca as a very good friend, who prefers to be invisible with his camouflage ability. I really would like to read more about the two invisibles in future Goddess Girls books, as long as the series is existing.
August 18, 2016
Hestia the Invisible by Joan Houlb is part of the Goddess Girls series, one of the continuing series I love to read during the summer. This particular book is about a young immortal student at Mount Olympus academy named Hestia who is goddess of the hearth. As a shy girl she doesn't have many friends and not a lot of people know her (or about her love of cooking). But as a new contest is surfaced among the students named the Service to Humankind award, Hestia decides to break out of her shell and add some spice to her life. I liked this book because it shows how making friends and coming out can be hard but it is worth it to make new friends and have new adventures.
January 12, 2016
I think that this book is really interesting because it shows why people that are shy could make a difference because this book is really shows that shy people should be included in everybody's life don't leave people out. Because the girl Hestia is a really shy girl nobody would notice that she would be in their class every year people don't even realise she is here. So she takes a risk and finally takes a risk in showing people that she cares and she is very proud of cooking because the favourite kind of snack at MOA is Hestia's very own recipe!
July 31, 2019
Part of the Goddess Girls series, this book focus on the "minor" goddess Hestia. This was one of my favorites out of the books I've read in the series. Hestia's skills and problems seem more real than some of the other "goddessgirls." I felt that I could relate more to her perspective than that of many others. The story was enjoyable and I can see myself re-reading it.
On my re-reading it, I notice some more subtle "morals" towards the end. The story touches on the idea of being happy for others, and that it's common to not feel that happiness right at the start.
On my re-reading it, I notice some more subtle "morals" towards the end. The story touches on the idea of being happy for others, and that it's common to not feel that happiness right at the start.
August 27, 2019
This was another book that DD1 and I read this summer. Hestia, the goddess of the hearth, is shy and loves cooking and baking, so I could relate. She is looking for a way to overcome her shyness and feel less invisible at school. DD1 and I both liked the story, but I thought that the ending here was maybe a little too neat and tidy, if only because overcoming shyness is a process and not something that is automatically resolved. That said, it was a fun read that helped me learn about a little-known figure in Greek mythology.
November 23, 2016
i like hestia of all the goddessgirls cause i love fire and i wish i could make fire too. hestia got me a little upsessed with her because she is really pretty and i wish i could make fire and now that i am goodreading about her i feel verey jeolous now but this was the best book in the goddessgirls series in my opinion.kaytee kaytee kaytee then kaytees mean i loved it very much i would die for it maybe.
September 18, 2018
I absolutly love how they describe her, her friends, and her enemy’s, feelings and emotion. It’s so awsome, and inspiring
Again I don’t recommend it for those who don’t like the Greek books because this is very Greek and very heartwarming as well as lovable
Again I don’t recommend it for those who don’t like the Greek books because this is very Greek and very heartwarming as well as lovable
November 1, 2019
I thought this book was a pretty good book. I really enjoyed reading about Hestia and her adventure. I also thought the author did a good job by not letting Hestia win the competition because live doesn’t always give you what you want. But it was a good book and left me hanging lots. ❤️😁
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 9, 2018
I LOVE Hestia she is my favorite and I cant wait to read this. I might dies from curiosity.
November 6, 2018
I finish this at school and really enjoy it.
April 18, 2019
A classmate of mine said this book is her favorite book and it is now mine to!❤️
Read
August 9, 2019OMG have this book at home
November 28, 2019
Hésita the invisible was a fun quick read and I could not put it down and I love this series and this book was good as well!
August 19, 2025
This might be my favorite books in these Goddess Girls series. It has everything I love from a character development to food itself. Hestia’s character really spoke to me, a very shy girl myself I almost never said a word and I also felt lonely because I hadn’t learned how to socialize. I was always worried about what people would think and I didn’t know what to say at all. Hestia’s questions about how many times you had to talk to someone to be friends and not wanting to seem like a loner or loser so real. All in all this book has a special place in my heart.
March 22, 2021
This book was such a major improvement from Amphritite it made me very happy. While not focusing on the main Godess Girls much to my mild irritation, it focused on a VERY VERY interesting side character. It absolutely delights me that a character like Hestia will be introduced to young girls who are reading this series. It was wonderful to see such a shy, quiet and introverted character portrayed with proper care and accuracy, while not devaluing the vibrancy of her inner life. Instead of the book focusing on her changing, the book focused on her valuing the gifts she already has. And the gifts she has.
Are.
So.
Freaking.
Refreshing.
Instead of having powers like war, or love or wisdom her gift is the gift of the hearth. A gift that we still don't acknowledge, and watching a female character struggling to value a gift that the other people around her don't truly think is a gift was an experience I didn't expect to witness in a children's novel.
Literally the only prolem it has is that sometimes it oversimplifies for children, and while that was definitely to make the story more palatable, it did sometimes take away the brilliance of the theme. Which was a shame to read as a young adult. But I mean, what exactly did I expect from a childrens book.
But other than that I AM SO GLAD that I revisited this series and the stories are such a wonderful, fuzzy, nostalgia trip that I can even enjoy the parts of it that feel a little bit dumbed down.
Are.
So.
Freaking.
Refreshing.
Instead of having powers like war, or love or wisdom her gift is the gift of the hearth. A gift that we still don't acknowledge, and watching a female character struggling to value a gift that the other people around her don't truly think is a gift was an experience I didn't expect to witness in a children's novel.
Literally the only prolem it has is that sometimes it oversimplifies for children, and while that was definitely to make the story more palatable, it did sometimes take away the brilliance of the theme. Which was a shame to read as a young adult. But I mean, what exactly did I expect from a childrens book.
But other than that I AM SO GLAD that I revisited this series and the stories are such a wonderful, fuzzy, nostalgia trip that I can even enjoy the parts of it that feel a little bit dumbed down.
July 7, 2021
Hestia, goddess of the hearth, is presented here are painfully shy and virtually invisible to the rest of MOA. What a wonderful way to teach young kids to not be afraid to come out of their shell a little bit!
October 26, 2021
The last two books in this series were pretty terrible. This one is so much better! Back to cute stories prompting good conversation with my daughter. The main character finds a boy to like but it doesn’t define her or make her life completely better or dominate the story.
January 25, 2024
This was by far my favorite. It brought a severely underrated goddess to spotlight and had a cute story about learning to know yourself.
May 11, 2024
Cute as always.
September 6, 2025
omg i remember borrowing this from the library and at the time it was the seriously the best book i had ever read
January 27, 2021
This book was really good!! I like how Hestia went from being really unnoticed in the beginning, to being popular, but not TOO popular. I like how she wasn't snobby when she turned popular. This book is great!
April 1, 2016
I read this to my 7-year old daughter. A fun book that puts a modern-ish spin on Greek mythology, this book came at just the right time for us. My daughter is getting interested in cooking and Hestia just happens to be the goddess of the hearth whose special talent is cooking. Hestia's personality and struggles also were good foddor for discussion amply suited to my daughter and her current needs.
March 3, 2016
The popularity of this series seems to be dying off as the authors explore less well known gods and goddesses from mythology. Most students will not know Hestia and that is the way she prefers, at least at first in this book.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 37 reviews