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Mortal Gods

(Goddess War #2)

Kendare Blake (Goodreads Author)

3.91 · Rating details · 2,822 ratings · 339 reviews

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

Cassandra Weaver is a weapon of fate. ...more

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Paperback, 341 pages

Published October 14th 2014 by Tor Teen

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· 2,822 ratings · 339 reviews

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Sep 25, 2013 Natalie Monroe rated it liked it

Shelves: could-have-been-better, dragged-on-too-much, protagonists-i-want-to-laser-face, slut-shaming, bad-beginning-loved-the-rest, not-as-good-as-i-expected, pants-are-snowmen-and-they-are-june, greek-mythology, second-book-syndrome, great-concept-poor-execution

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

I am a Greek mythology purist.

I don't mind if authors tweak with the original myths, flesh out personalities, reveal motives, justify certain acts, etc. In fact, I welcome it. Retellin ...more

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Apr 23, 2019 ☆★Tinja★✮ A Court of Pizza and Laziness rated it it was ok

Shelves: romance, im-so-disappointed, mythology, audiobooks, dark-stuff, includes-annoying-characters, young-adult, action, mythical-creatures-and-other-beings, gods-and-goddesses

Oh my.

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

I liked the first book a lot more and even that only got 3 stars. You have no idea how much I wanted this to work. I LOVE mythology.
But I had issues with everything!!!! The relationships didn't work for me at all. I liked none of the charact ...more

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Oct 16, 2014 Jesselle rated it really liked it · review of another edition

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

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

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

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

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

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

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Mar 03, 2014 Kristen rated it it was amazing

Shelves: arc-or-galley, hardcover-wishlist

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

There are spoilers from book 1, Antigoddess

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

There are spoilers from book 1, Antigoddess

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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Apr 10, 2014 Mogsy (MMOGC) rated it liked it

Shelves: arcs-and-galleys, paranormal, review-copy, young-adult, mythology

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

I’m a mythology buff, so naturally I became drawn to Kendare Blake’s Goddess War series. The first book introduced us to the concept that the Old Gods of Greek Mythology have always existed, and that well-known deities such as Athena and Hermes have lived among us since time immemorial. But all of a sudden, the gods are losing their immortality, dying slowly in the most bizarre and most horrific ways. All eyes turn to Kinc 3 of 5 stars at The BiblioSanctum http://bibliosanctum.com/2014/11/15/y...

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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Sep 17, 2014 Angela Hanson rated it it was amazing

Lucky enough to get an ARC, this heart pounding story of Gods reincarnated and living in our time, ramps up the action in the sequeal to Antigoddess, Mortal Gods. Athena and Cassandra continue their crusade with their group of Gods and Heros, hell bent on revenge and redemption. Some new Hero's join the ranks and make for some interesting twists and turns, making you very uncertain who is trustworthy. The ending confims your suspicions regarding loyalties, leaving you royally ticked, screaming a ...more

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Jan 29, 2019 Suzzie rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

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

My quick and simple overall: I seriously enjoyed this one even more than the first book. The first book w ...more

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Oct 20, 2014 Nasty Lady MJ rated it it was ok

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

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

The result.

Meh.

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

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

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May 16, 2014 Maja (The Nocturnal Library) rated it really liked it

Shelves: mythology, all-action, annoying-love-triangle, arc-2014, cliffhanger-ending, young-adult, best-of-2014, favorites, just-another-book-crush, multiple-povs

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

...more

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Oct 09, 2018 Mizuki rated it really liked it

Shelves: young-adult-books, fantasy

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

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

As to the two main characters, Cassandra and Athena; I will be more forgiving ...more

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Oct 08, 2013 Shandra rated it did not like it · review of another edition

Shelves: unable-to-finish

DNF at 29%

Well...I think it's time I admit defeat. It's been two months since I set this aside due to boredom. I figured I'd come back to it. But I've yet to get the pull or desire to do so since then. This really makes me sad. DNFs are rare for me. And I really enjoyed the first book in this series. But this one didn't hook me at all. The characters annoyed me from page one. I will attempt this again at some point because I'm having a hard time admitting to myself that what I thought would ...more

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Oct 15, 2014 hal rated it liked it

Shelves: pretty-good, young-adult, greek-and-roman

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

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

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

4. Characters I really like: Hermes, Athena, Andie, Ares (is it weird I like him so much? He's an antagonis ...more

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Nov 29, 2014 elias rated it really liked it

Shelves: kickass-characters

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

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

Cassandra is mourning, which is understandable after AntiGoddess. And her grief makes her angry, a All the stars in the world for Athena <3
And none for meanie Cassandra -_-

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

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

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

And The Ending T_T (view spoiler), can't wait for the third book, that cliffhanger was savage :(

And Andie & Henry, so cute *_* ...more

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Oct 05, 2014 Federica rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Back in the Goddess War' world.

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

At the beginning it was a bit slow-paced, because they were just going to the cemetery, training and planning their attack against Aphrodite. There was not really much action, even though I liked it as well. Then, things began to change: the attacks against the "mortal side", the quest for Artemis and Achilles, and the final confrontation made everything far more interesting. I ...more

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Sep 15, 2013 Ruman rated it it was ok

Shelves: rebels, gods-goddesses, seer, immortals, underworld, greek

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

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

Cassandra
She was literally li ...more

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Sep 11, 2013 Jen (The Starry-Eyed Revue) rated it it was amazing

Shelves: 2014, audiobooks, fantasy, library, mythology, immortals

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

The narrator for this audiobook was superb and brought these characters to life for me. Her accents for British Ody ...more

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Sep 15, 2013 Gabriela marked it as to-read

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

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

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

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

I love the title, It's brilliant!

...more

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May 01, 2014 Victoria Scott rated it it was amazing

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

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Jan 31, 2020 Jenn rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: books-i-own, signed-copies, young-adult, read-in-2020, fantasy, high-school-days, 4-star-reads, mythology, nail-biter

3.5 Stars

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

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

So let's talk characters, starting with Cassandra. Oh Cassandra. I get that she's grieving but dang if she is not becoming this stone cold diva. Revenge is the only thing on her mind and I belie ...more

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Jun 20, 2017 Alexa rated it really liked it

Shelves: tbr-2015-december

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

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

I'm diving straight into book 3 😉 ...more

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Nov 24, 2015 Miranda at Red Hat Cat Reviews marked it as did-not-finish · review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy-contemp, library, young-adult

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

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Mar 31, 2016 Asia rated it liked it

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

...more

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Sep 15, 2014 gio rated it liked it

Eh. I liked Antigoddess more. And there's a reason why Mortal Gods can't compare: Cassandra. Yep, I can name it this time around and I can tell you it makes me feel so much better that I can put my finger on what pissed me off.

Seriously, this series would be much more awesome without Cassandra. Everybody but her is awesome. The idea is good, creepy enough and well developed, the plot and the pace are great. But, ugh, Cassandra is one of the worst main characters ever. And to top all that, if yo
Eh. I liked Antigoddess more. And there's a reason why Mortal Gods can't compare: Cassandra. Yep, I can name it this time around and I can tell you it makes me feel so much better that I can put my finger on what pissed me off.

Seriously, this series would be much more awesome without Cassandra. Everybody but her is awesome. The idea is good, creepy enough and well developed, the plot and the pace are great. But, ugh, Cassandra is one of the worst main characters ever. And to top all that, if you compare her to Athena, the other main character of the series, she's even worse.

> Athena is an awesome protagonist. She's not whiny, she's brave, reckless enough, and she does have a thirst for blood I can't help but like. She keeps it together in every kind of situation and while she makes mistakes she's likable.

> Secondary characters:

- Odysseus. I love him and hate him at the same time. He and Athena are my ship and they frustrate me to no end, but it's so worth it. And he was totally jealous of Achilles.
- Achilles. I liked him. He was rude and arrogant and flirty...pretty much my idea of Achilles.
- Andy and Henry...were fine. Andy surprised me in a positive way, most of all. She wanted to able to fight her own battles and, no matter what her friends thought of it, she wanted to know how to fend for herself. I'm not the biggest fan of Henry to be honest.

> Ares: bloody (literally and metaphorically) awesome. The gods' situation is creepy as heck and I love it. I really liked (and I realise this might sound even creepier) how the author found the perfect illnesses/curses for them, because they all feel fitting. One of the best things about this series so far, for sure.

> The plot could have been better, to be honest, but Mortal Gods is a quick, compelling read, so I wouldn't put that with its flaws.

Now, not a flaw, but THE flaw, Cassandra.
I really wonder if the author wanted us to like her or not, because if she thought "look what a likable character I have here" I'd lower the rating. Cassandra is one of the biggest pieces of sh*t I've seen in ya, and that truly says something. And not only because I've read lots of ya but because I've read about some shitty protagonists.
I actually hated her more than the villains.

What makes it worse is that I literally can't think about one redeeming quality when it comes to her. She's stuck up in her little world, she doesn't give a sh*t about other people's problems, she doesn't know how to fight and doesn't even want to learn. It's never her fault, even when it actually is, and all she can do is pine for her lost love and despise Athena. A f*cking ray of sunshine guys. I'm sorry (ah, no, I'm not.) but she's the weakest element of the series and a pain in the neck. It had been a while since I hated a character so much, but congrats Cassandra, you made it.

Overall, if I were able to ignore my hartred for Cassandra, Mortal Gods would be worth four stars, but I'm a fickle creature and so it's 3.5 rounded down. I'm sorry but I'm not up for shitty main characters anymore. I hope the last book in the series has more Athena in it (and I truly wished Cassandra died, because the world would be a better place without her in it, but sadly I don't see that happening.) and much less whining. ...more

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Feb 26, 2014 Giselle rated it liked it

Shelves: from-publishers, 3-star, age-young-adult, genre-fantasy, requested-for-review, genre-paranormal, genre-romance, 2014, arc-physical, genre-action-adventure

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

Mortal Gods suffered mostly from second book syndrome. I was constantly wondering if anything was going to move the plot along. From what I could gather it was about Achilles. Trying to find him and getting him to be on Athena's side. It wasn't even the main plot.. The main plot from what I can gather is the war between the Gods. But unlike the first book, th ...more

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Sep 21, 2015 Olivia rated it liked it

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

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Oct 15, 2014 Bailee rated it it was amazing

Shelves: greek-mythology

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

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Oct 29, 2014 Nicolette (FallingOverBooks) rated it it was amazing

Shelves: young-adult, mythology, 2014-favorites, paranormal, i-own-it

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

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Mar 04, 2014 Carina Olsen rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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Mar 16, 2018 ☆Stephanie☆ rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: favorites

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

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May 21, 2013 Leah (Jane Speare) marked it as dnf

DNF page 47 for now. I may pick it up once a recap of Antigoddess is up, and maybe the third one is out, so I can retry in one swoop.

While the writing is just as harsh as usual for Kendare Blake, I just can't get into this. I want to like it. Just, blah. Nothing super enticing. And I keep mixing everybody up. On to something more compelling for now. I don't think this is the author's fault, it's an editing thing.

Also why the hell did they change all the awesome original titles and covers? Becaus ...more

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About Kendare Blake

Kendare Blake

54,422 followers

So, I write books. The Anna Dressed in Blood duo is horror, The Goddess War trilogy is mythology, and Three Dark Crowns is fantasy, because the world don't move to the beat of just one drum. What might be right for you, may not be right for some. Love to read, too. Fiction, philosophy, good books, bad books, because you take the good you take the bad you take them both and there you have a stack o ...more

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Quotes from Mortal Gods

“Is this the river of hate, or the river of smartass?” — 10 likes

“I like ordinary. People only wish for adventure until they're stuck in the middle of one. Haven't you ever seen The Fellowship of the Ring?” — 6 likes

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