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    The Goddess Legacy: The Goddess Queen\The Lovestruck Goddess\Goddess of the Underworld\God of Thieves\God of Darkness
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    The Goddess Legacy: The Goddess Queen\The Lovestruck Goddess\Goddess of the Underworld\God of Thieves\God of Darkness
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    The Goddess Legacy: The Goddess Queen\The Lovestruck Goddess\Goddess of the Underworld\God of Thieves\God of Darkness
    Ebook407 pages6 hours

    The Goddess Legacy: The Goddess Queen\The Lovestruck Goddess\Goddess of the Underworld\God of Thieves\God of Darkness

    By Aimée Carter

    4/5

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    Currently unavailable

    Currently unavailable

    About this ebook



    For millennia we've caught only glimpses of the lives and loves of the gods and goddesses on Olympus. Now Aimée Carter pulls back the curtain on how they became the powerful, petty, loving and dangerous immortals that Kate Winters knows.

    Calliope/Hera represented constancy and yet had a husband who never matched her faithfulness .

    Ava/Aphrodite was the goddess of love and yet commitment was a totally different deal .

    Persephone was urged to marry one man, yet longed for another .

    James/Hermes loved to make trouble for others#151;but never knew true loss before .

    Henry/Hades's solitary existence had grown too wearisome to continue. But meeting Kate Winters gave him a new hope .

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherHarlequin
    Release dateAug 1, 2012
    ISBN9781459208872
    Unavailable
    The Goddess Legacy: The Goddess Queen\The Lovestruck Goddess\Goddess of the Underworld\God of Thieves\God of Darkness
    Author

    Aimée Carter

    Aimée Carter was born in 1986 and raised in Michigan, where she currently resides. She started writing fan fiction at eleven, began her first original story four years later, and hasn’t stopped writing since. Besides writing and reading, she enjoys seeing movies, playing with her puppies, and wrestling with the puzzles in the paper each morning.

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    Reviews for The Goddess Legacy

    4/5

    78 ratings12 reviews

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    • 4/5
      This was a good read--and it *almost* distracted me from the cruel cliffhanger book 2 left us with. Almost. ;-)

      What I liked about this collection is that it really gave us a lot of insight into the characters of the gods and goddesses involved in Kate's story--it was a great way to get background information to readers as part of another story rather than through a lot of info dumping. I especially enjoyed seeing where some of their "new" names came from, and these stories really did a lot to explain the characters' motivations and the relationships that we see in the rest of the series. Hera's story helped me to understand why she does what she does to Kate and Henry--or at least understand it better--though she's never going to have my full sympathy there. I absolutely loved Aphrodite's story (though it did make me wonder where Eros has been in the other books). Persephone's story just confirmed that I will never, ever like that woman--though I could perhaps be a tad bit biased. I enjoyed Hermes's and Henry's stories too, though I couldn't help wanting a bit more from each. Again, this could be my bias showing. All in all this was an excellent way to pass the time before book three comes out--which just can't happen soon enough!
    • 4/5
      First of all, can I talk about this cover? I'm thinking that the girl is Persephone, and she's probably straining toward the sun, but her pose is really ... awkward. The way her arms are sort of thrust back is just weird. Definitely not a favorite.ANYWAY. The Goddess Legacy is a set of novellas that focus on the gods/goddesses prior to Kate's birth and eventual ascension to Queen of the Underworld. I think it was this factor - the lack of Kate - that made me enjoy them more than I did Goddess Interrupted (look, I loved Kate in the first book, but her back and forth, constant self-doubt, and whining on about how Henry will never love her like he loved Persephone in the second book just grated on me). Plus, I also really enjoyed seeing the background to Ms. Carter's mythology, because she definitely did some things quite a bit differently than they were in the original stories.The first story focused on Hera/Calliope, and it definitely explained exactly why Calliope turned into what she is in the books (vague statement is vague). It was hard to read her fall from a youthful, strong woman to one who became so embittered because of her husband's constant affairs. The second story focused on Aphrodite/Ava, and actually set up her development in the third book quite a bit; you really got to see the way she showed her love to everyone, and how she was able to love in different ways. The fourth story (yes, I skipped Persephone's on purpose; I'll get to her in a minute) was probably my favorite, because it gave us some background on Hermes/James. I loved his interaction with Tuck and the way this lone girl had such an impact on him. Plus I have a thing for folks who are headstrong and do what they believe is right even if they're told not to. (And I loved Iris!) And the last story was Hades/Henry's story; it definitely showed how beaten down he was after the death of each of Persephone's replacements. You could feel his weariness and exhaustion with his life, and it also allowed the reader to see behind the solemn mask he so often wears in the series. My only complaint about this was the random switch to third-person for Henry's story; all the others are in first-person, so it was kind of jarring to make that switch.As for Persephone's story, let me just say that I REALLY did not like her. At all. She cheated on Henry without pause or thought, yet was broken-hearted when one of her lovers did the same to her. It took her ages to realize just how much she was hurting him, and even when she figured it out, she still didn't care. Yes, I get that she didn't want to marry him, and I get that she hated being away from the sun and living underground, and yes, maybe someone somewhere should have stepped in to ask what she really wanted (and I'm thinking their was some interference from Hera somewhere in there as well), but honestly, I don't think I've ever read a character who complains as much as Persephone did. I was thoroughly fed up with her story well before the end of it, and was so glad when they finally granted her mortality so she'd just go away already. It's very hard to be sympathetic to a character's plight when that character does nothing to ingratiate herself!All in all, this was a nice installment between the second and third books in the series. Having just finished The Goddess Inheritance, I can see how well these novellas tied in to the overall plot, so while they're not absolutely necessary to read, they definitely help fill in some holes and answer some questions. Considering that this book is my favorite of the series, I'm very glad I gave it a read (Persephone excluded, of course).
    • 4/5
      Review based on ARC:I LOVE Greek Mythology. So I requested this book without even reading The Goddess Test and I regret NOTHING. I loved the interpretations of old Greek legends and I loved Carter's twist on the gods and goddesses. Carter's novel offers five short stories involving all of the different gods and their interactions with both the humans and each other. My favorite story was probably the first about Hera. We often hear about Hera's vindictive nature and her extreme jealousy, and Carter paints Hera in a new light: a more likeable and tragic character. I also really enjoyed Hade's story because it felt like it set the scene for the Goddess Test, and now I'm even more excited to read it now that I know what roles the gods and goddesses play. The characters were a slightly different version of the gods you learned about in High School Lit (and especially different from the colorfully painted characters of Disney's Hercules); they are selfish, they are powerful and they are lost. With each character you read about, you see a new softness that you hadn't seen before and I loved that. The writing was descriptive and seducing. Carter did not cut any corners in describing her worlds, characters and their emotions. I really enjoyed Carter's take of the Greek gods and goddesses and I felt like this book set up The Goddess Test brilliantly. I can't wait to finally add the first installment to my shelf!
    • 5/5
      Why is this shocking? I like to think I am very sparing in giving out five star reviews. A five star review means not only does it have to be written well, it has to be a very entertaining and fun read and it also has to make me feel like the author went over and beyond what I would have expected. Although I love YA books I think I probably give even less five star reviews for them because sometimes they all start to sound too similar to each other.I liked "The Goddess Test" and "Goddess Interrupted" (And "Goddess Hunt") a lot. "Test" really impressed me but the sequel and following short story didn't live up the first book for me. Still I really wanted to read "Legacy" and I pre-ordered it. I loved this collection of stories. I was hooked from the very first page and it didn't let up until I finished the very last page. I loved the stories being told for the perspectives of the Gods and Goddesses. I loved that each one led into the next tale so they build upon each other so that it feels like reading a full novel and not a bunch of unrelated short stories.The first story is "The Goddess Queen" is the story of Hera/Calliope and it basically explains how she came to be the way she is. It explains the hate in her heart and her obsession with Henry/Hades. It is a fast paced story that starts things right at the beginning. I really disliked Zeus/Walter after this story. This is a man who cares about no one and nothing besides himself."Lovestruck Goddess" follows telling the story of Aphrodite. The story is how she came to be married to one brother and in love with the other. She goes against her parent's wishes for her. She really does seem to have the favors of all the Gods as things pretty much just fall into place for her.The third story is perhaps the most important in this collection. "Goddess of the Underworld" is the story of Persephone. We got the general backstory in the first two installments of this series but this really fleshes the story out and gives us more of Persephone's viewpoint. I really disliked Diana/Demeter here. I can't believe a mother could see their child so miserable and still allow them to be in such a position. Henry seems like such a wimp in this story though. I felt bad for him but I wish there was something more he could do when he knew the woman was miserable. Now for Persephone. Wow. I do feel bad for her being stuck ruling the Underworld which she despised and married to the king of the Underworld who should couldn't love. However she just doesn't give Henry a chance. Even in their friendship she is hateful to him. I can't understand how she could flinch from him even when he was only acting like a friend. To some degree, despite her situation, she still comes across as a bit of a brat. She is far from my favorite character. Still I think fans of the series need this backstory.The fourth tale is "God of Thieves" and features James/Hermes as he finds someone he is willing to do anything to protect. This was a great adventure tale and I really enjoyed it although it is very sad as well. The plot of this one could have been fleshed out into a full novel. It had almost a Robin Hood/Peter Pan feel to it.And the final story is Henry/Hade's. "God of Darkness" tells the story of how events came to be as they are in the beginning of the "Goddess Test". It starts with the first girl Diana brings to save Henry and follows through as more and more deaths lie on Henry's shoulders. Then story ends with an introduction of young Kate.Again, I just thought this story was phenomenal. It is very different than most of what is on the bookstore shelves. I highly encourage you to purchase this story if you have enjoyed the first two in the series at all.
    • 5/5
      ****Spoilers if you have not read The Goddess Hunt and Goddess Interrupted. If you haven't read BOTH you will be reading spoilers*****Wow! When I started reading this, I thought it was going to be a novella. But this is 400 pages long and it is every bit or even more engrossing than The Goddess Hunt and Goddess Interrupted. It shows how things got to the point they are at now. If you had questions, any questions, about how the Gods and Goddesses of Olympus had come to the point that they are now at the end of Goddess Interrupted, this book explains it all.The story opens with just after the original six Olympians have defeated the Titans. They know they couldn't have defeated them without Hera and she wants to be leader. But Zeus quarrels with her over people not following a woman. The first story is Hera's and let me tell you, if you don't have sympathy for her at the end of it, then you're heartless. We all know what a cheating bastard Zeus has always been in mythology. But this story shows just how painful it is to her. Just what he does to her to keep her from being happy.There is a story from Aphrodite's point of view and how she comes to marry Hephaestus. And her affairs with other men.There is the story of Persephone and Hades, not quite like we've always known it, but close enough to the original that it is believable. She tries to love Hades, but there is always a wall between them and even though she's known she was always going to marry him, she can't seem to love him. You have to be asleep not to figure out why it isn't working out, but you do have to read the story to figure it out.Hermes has his own story which was interesting because I've never known a lot about him. It was different and makes sense with regards to his story in The Goddess Hunt series.And finally Hades has his story. We find out what happened before the Goddess Hunt started and what happened to the other girls. Why he let the test go on even in the wake of the murders. And what happened when he first saw Kate.I got so immersed in these stories winding them into the other two stories so that by the time I finished I feel like I am so ready for the next book. I know why Hera/Calliope is the way she is and I honestly don't blame her. I hate Walter! In fact, I hate most of the Olympians except Henry. They are all selfish and proud and jealous and really don't deserve any happiness. But God April can't come soon enough!!!If you enjoy this series, this is a must! You will be lost without it. It makes everything fall into place but don't read it first. Read it after the first two books. I don't know why it's called a .5 though. It's a full book with five really great stories in them. It makes a great addition to the series!I received an E-ARC from the publishers at Harlequin through NetGalley for review for which I thank them. I'll be buying my own hardbound copy though as I love this series and want it for my collection.Never too many books, right? The opinions expressed are my own and not compensated in any way.
    • 5/5
      arc-2012, best-of-2012-list-pick, favorites[edit]This is the side of mythology that they never taught in school. The stories found within this read would make the steamiest of afternoon soaps look like child's play. Though this book is marked as 2.5; it would serve as the perfect prequel to book #1 in the series, The Goddess Test.The reason for this is that the five novellas that comprise this collection form a time-line from the creation of the council to the decision to modernize the Olympians.Amiee Carter has once again proven herself to be the 'mistress of mythology', managing to breathe new life into tales that are centuries old; while carefully and painstakingly preserving the integrity of each legend.This series is an engrossing read that is sure to make even the staunchest non-classic reader chomp at the bit for more. This book can be read as part of the series, but may also stand alone.
    • 5/5
      For me, this book stir up so many emotions. Aimee Carter did a fantastic job of re-taling the greek gods story. Each story's, paints a fantastic picture of what their lifes are like. From lies to betrayal, the reader can't help but be consume by it all.The Goddess Legacy contained several different stories from Hera, Henry, Aphrodite, and Hepatahus point of view. Let me first say that with each back round history to the character, Ms. Carter gives the reader an amazing insight as to who they are today. I like that with each story, we get the raw character. The reader is placed in their shoes and BAM! You feel it all. The love, lust, pride, lies, and betrayal. The reader see the years of life drained right out of them. Seriously, when I was done with Hera's story, I could do nothing but shake my head in awe. How Ms. Carter painted such a magnificent story is beyond me. But damn....it's good.With all of these stories painting wonderful images in my head, I had to go back to The Goddess Test and put my imagination to work. I felt as through Ms. Carter gave me the key to some insight I had not see before and I am yearning just to open that door. I suggest that if you have not read The Goddess Test or Goddess Interrupted, you should do so immediately. Like right now. Drop what you are doing and read both books. Then read The Goddess Legacy, come back to me and then we can talk. I can tell you this much, the facade that they are putting on is about to come off....and soon.The Goddess Legacy are triumphant tales that leave the reader burning. Burning from the emotions, from the adrenaline rush of fast paced stories that open the door to a whole new world. The strong representation of the Gods and Goddess brings forth amazing world building that the reader will not want to leave. Gripping and intense, The Goddess Legacy is sensational!
    • 5/5
      Awesome
    • 5/5
      Background: This book in the Goddess Test series tells the tales of the gods in the series: Calliope/Hera, Ava/Aphrodite, Persephone, James/Hermes, and Henry/Hades. They are five short novellas about each of these gods and goddesses and how they came to be the way they are by the time Kate Winters meets them in the Goddess Test.

      Review: Wow! This was novellas done right. It was a book, a whole book, not 100 pages without completion. The stories themselves are not too lengthy but they tell you a lot about Carter's characters and why they act how they do in the Goddess Test series. My favorite story was Hera's, only because now I fully understand why she is so upset, however even though I finally get it, it doesn't mean that I fully feel for her, she screwed up too and blames others for her own actions (sad face). Ava and James have always been fun characters and I still think they sure do have family issues all around.

      I liked reading about these characters outside of the story, and I think that in between books 2 and 3 was very god placement on Carter's part, now we know more about them and maybe it will give us more insight when we get to book 3. :)

      1 person found this helpful

    • 5/5
      I don't usually read anthologies because I feel like I need more time than a short story to sink my teeth into a character and really get to know them and find out what makes them tick, but in this case I already knew the characters well from reading the previous books in the series and decided to give it a try. Boy am I glad that I did!! This wasn't just a short bit of fluff written to keep us invested in the characters until the next book comes out - it gave us the chance to look back and find out how our favorite gods and goddesses became the people that they are today. In other words, we got the chance to see how and why they act like they do, to go back in time and gain major insight into their motivations and to gain a much better understanding of them, to fall more in love with the characters that we love (Henry and James, and sometimes Ava), and to maybe soften a little bit towards those that we don't (Calliope and Persephone). I was blown away by how much I learned about all of the gods and goddesses involved, and how that information made me feel like I had peeked inside their very souls and come away with a deeper understanding of just how much they have experienced in their long lives. I now wouldn't wish immortality on my worst enemy! To have to go on after such deep disappointments and know that you are forever tied to the people who hurt you the most - it depresses me just to think about it! I wish I had a favorite story to tell you about, but all five were amazingly written and heartfelt, so I can't pick just one. I think the two stories that broke my heart the most were Calliope/Hera's and James/Hermes'. If you never thought you would feel sorry for Calliope, I want you to read her story and then tell me you don't just a little bit. And poor James! Just because he always acts like not much bothers him, and he tells jokes to keep everyone else's spirits up , doesn't mean he hasn't suffered deep losses. I don't want to give anything away (being short stories, any bit of info might do that), but suffice it to say, this book is a must read for anyone reading the Goddess Test series!! You'll go into book 3 with a whole new appreciation for all of the characters, and that's not something that you want to miss :D

      1 person found this helpful

    • 4/5
      I loved this book! It was a great anthology that gave a lot of insight into the characters from the other books in the series. When I read the first two books I always felt like there was a lot of backstory that I just didn’t know. I am so glad the author decided to finally give us those stories. If you haven’t read the other books, don’t worry. You can read this anthology and it won’t spoil anything. In fact, you might have a better understanding of the characters’ motivations from the other books if you do read the short stories/novellas first. For instance, reading the stories really makes me dislike Zeus. What a pig. I actually felt sorry for Hera (for a hot minute). I think my favorite story of them all was James’ story. I never felt like I understood him in the books, but now I have a whole new insight into his being. I actually felt compassion for him and complete sympathy for what made him the character he became. The same goes for Henry. (I love him!) What a sad, sad story. But most importantly, you get inside Hera’s head. I felt sorry for her at first, but as the stories continued, I really began to see what a warped and twisted character she was. What she became really makes sense in relation to the series. Now I fully understand her level of evil and how low she can sink to get what she wants. This is a must read. You’ll love it, even if you don’t like the series. If you enjoy mythology, you’ll also love the twists on the classic tales that are written on these pages. Read it. Now.

      1 person found this helpful

    • 4/5
      **This book was obtained through Net Galley but that did not influence the review** You can also see the review here

      Goddess Legacy is a collection of novellas, but don’t fret, this is as long as a regular book! We have some time to wait until the 3rd book in the series, The Goddess Inheritance, is out (April 2013), so this was nice to tide me over. I adore this series and was more than happy to get some insight into the other Gods and Goddesses, well, even some more background on Henry (Hades). Even if it was with Persephone and not Kate. ;)

      I love stories told from first person, and this book was fabulous since each story was told from someone’s point of view. Between that and Ms. Carter’s amazing writing style I felt like I could really connect with each God or Goddess in their novella. That is no small feat, and that is why this book will get such high marks from me.

      I learned that Zeus is so manipulative-he really didn’t appear to be that way in the first two books, but clearly he is always pulling the strings…for everything. I actually didn’t care for him at all, but the fact that the author was able to make me feel that way, well it’s a win.

      I also found that Persephone really is unhappy, she definitely acted like a brat. I would have to wonder if she ever really did find happiness with Adonis? I probably connected with her the least out of all the novellas, I couldn’t even see how Hades loved her since she was fairly awful to him. But…..that just shows how kind and gentle he really is.

      Hera can’t win. She was definitely on the naughty list from the first book, but I got some serious insight into her character, and I actually felt sorry for her! Clearly all those years of being faithful and sticking to her word got to her by the time The Goddess Test was written. She had some serious pent up anger!!

      Hermes was one of my favorite novellas, and the way his story tied in with Hades at the end was fabulous. I loved, loved, loved it!! I felt like that story was more of a happy ending. I look forward to him hopefully making some appearances in the next book.

      Lots of betrayals, lies, jealousy, and affairs in this book = never a dull page! However, these Gods and Goddesses live for an eternity and these stories span over thousands of years. That definitely puts a lot of things in perspective. If you love this series, you definitely want to check out this book, it completes the series.