Love Can Make You Immortal

"Sometimes we misjudge what is possible and what is not."
--Aimee Carter, The Goddess Test

Genre: YA Greek Mythology Re-Telling

Publisher: Harlequin Teen, 293 pages

Publication Date: April 19th, 2011

Source: Borrowed
Goodreads

Goodreads Description

Every girl who had taken the test has died.
Now it's Kate's turn.

It's always been just Kate and her mom - and her mother is dying. Her last wish? To move back to her childhood home. So Kate's going to start at a new school with no friends, no other family and the fear that her mother won't live past the fall.

Then she meets Henry. Dark. Tortured. And mesmerizing. He claims to be Hades, god of the Underworld - and if she accepts his bargain, he'll keep her mother alive while Kate tries to pass seven tests.

Kate is sure he's crazy - until she sees him bring a girl back from the dead. Now saving her mother seems crazily possible. If she succeeds, she'll become Henry's future bride and a goddess.

If she fails...

My Thoughts

I have been wanting to read this for awhile due to hearing a lot of good things about it. I loooove Greek mythology and I am not completely well-versed on it so if there is a book or series that has a re-telling I'm probably going to check it out. I'm a huge dork so if I feel like I'm learning something while enjoying a story I am all over it...Nerd Alert...I'm aware...long hair, don't care.

So this is a take on Hades and Persephone. Greek gods are real, it isn't myth, it's history. Kate meets Henry and, like the description says, offers herself up for immortality in order to save her mother for a little while longer. The rhyme and reason in this whole scenario doesn't really fit together in the beginning but as the story goes on it makes more sense. While she is being tested she is living in Eden Manor with Henry and a slew of other people who are catering to her. Our supporting cast of characters is pretty good. They all have their own history and background and personalities that clash and cause drama which is pretty entertaining. Kate feels out of her element most of the book but with Henry, she slowly starts to accept life in the Manor...*sigh*...

I liked Henry...I wanted to love him, though. Far be if from the norm for me to love a tortured soul...am I getting repetitive? Still. I could tell there was so much more to him than what he was putting out there, but we really didn't get too much of the emotions breaking through. I wanted so much more from him than I was getting. I knew that was the point of his character, but I am greedy and I wanted more of this tortured man to break through. I thought Kate was a fantastic heroine. She is loyal to her family and loves her mother more than life itself. She constantly puts others before her. She is fair and wise for her years, and when we get to see her step up to make decisions, she does so with ease and grace. While she does have her flaws--insecurity, whiny at points--she has very good reasons for them. 

I really, really liked how their relationship evolved. It wasn't pushed, it was a very slow and steady progression that seemed very realistic. As things develop and get more intense I was whooping with excitement. Henry is a very stoic guy so when we got glimpses of actual emotions, I got real excited. Like I said before, we don't get too many, but when we do it is AMAZING. Even thought Kate did get annoying with the need for Henry to throw away eons of hurt, her frustration was understandable. Henry didn't give her a lot to go on and she ended up liking him anyways despite all that was stacked up against her. I loved that she continued to fight to break through to him because she saw he was worth more than what he gave himself credit for. 

The plot of the story moves along really quickly. I didn't feel bored at all while reading and I really wanted to know more about all the tests she was going to be subjected to. They weren't obvious tests like I was expecting, but with how the book's ending played out you understand why when you read it. Speaking of, I LOVED the ending. I can't say more because of spoilers but know this--the ending is pretty bitchin'. Puzzles are put together that you didn't even know had pieces and all is not what it seems--LOVE that. I loved learning about the different deitys and I can't wait to see what else this immortal world has in store for Kate and Henry.

Should You Read This? If you like Greek mythology with a well-paced romance then yes. :)