Publisher: KTEEN
Release Date: July 26, 2011
Format: Kindle
Pages: 336
Source: Download Destination
Review Date: February 25, 2012
Rating: 4 bookmarks
Looking for something a little different? Check this book out. This was my first time reading Jennifer Estep, and I really enjoyed the experience reading this book. This was a YA novel, yet can easily be thoroughly enjoyable to adults. It should be noted that if I recall, the last year students at Mythos Academy are over 21. Also, even though the book is YA, there is drinking and sex in the book. Nothing graphic, but it’s there. It’s not one of those overly sappy with “first love” or teenage angst. This was a fresh and new take on YA paranormal fantasy. No witches, vampires and werewolves. This time, it’s Greek Gods and Goddesses, Viking, Spartans, Amazons, Valkyries, Champions, Gypsies, Reapers, warriors and all. All of the things that make myths come to live.
This story centers around Gwen, a teenager who begins at a new school, Mythos Academy a few months after her mother passes away. The kids at this school are strange and not at all the types of students you would see at an average public school. These kids are spoiled, rich, entitled, and glamorous and…lastly, they are warriors. And as I mentioned earlier, these kids are also slightly older than traditional high school students. Everyone, from the students to the teachers all have a type magic that Gwen doesn’t believe in. This world of mythological royalty is new to her and she is having a hard time adjusting. Gwen is a gypsy, same as her mother and grandmother. Even as a gypsy with psychometry, she doesn’t understand how her gifts would place her in this school. She’s not rich, strong, a warrior or anything. She just sees herself as a normal comic book loving girl who happens to be able to see things when touching objects and people.
Jasmine, the queen B of the 2nd year students ends up dead in the school library. Gwen takes it upon herself to find out what happened to her. She feels she must find out what happened despite that all the other students seem so jaded and aren’t affected at all by Jasmine’s demise, even if she was a mean girl. As Gwen starts her investigation she becomes friends with an unlikely ally, Daphne. She manages to forge a friendship with Daphne, an Amazon who was once friends with Jasmine. She also gets a little help from a cute Spartan, Logan. While Gwen works toward uncovering what really happened with Jasmine, she really starts to come into her own and learns more about herself and her mother, and grandmother. Her discoveries help her cope and begin to understand what her purpose is.
This story drew me in very quickly. It’s full of magic, good and evil, and dynamic characters. It was fast paced and toward the end some of the loose ends were tied up and we got a good explanation as to why Gwen was sent to this school to begin with. The end of the story gave us some information lending to a feeling of being satisfied with the ending of the book, yet still set us up nicely for the 2nd installment, which I am excited to read.
Release Date: July 26, 2011
Format: Kindle
Pages: 336
Source: Download Destination
Review Date: February 25, 2012
Rating: 4 bookmarks
Looking for something a little different? Check this book out. This was my first time reading Jennifer Estep, and I really enjoyed the experience reading this book. This was a YA novel, yet can easily be thoroughly enjoyable to adults. It should be noted that if I recall, the last year students at Mythos Academy are over 21. Also, even though the book is YA, there is drinking and sex in the book. Nothing graphic, but it’s there. It’s not one of those overly sappy with “first love” or teenage angst. This was a fresh and new take on YA paranormal fantasy. No witches, vampires and werewolves. This time, it’s Greek Gods and Goddesses, Viking, Spartans, Amazons, Valkyries, Champions, Gypsies, Reapers, warriors and all. All of the things that make myths come to live.
This story centers around Gwen, a teenager who begins at a new school, Mythos Academy a few months after her mother passes away. The kids at this school are strange and not at all the types of students you would see at an average public school. These kids are spoiled, rich, entitled, and glamorous and…lastly, they are warriors. And as I mentioned earlier, these kids are also slightly older than traditional high school students. Everyone, from the students to the teachers all have a type magic that Gwen doesn’t believe in. This world of mythological royalty is new to her and she is having a hard time adjusting. Gwen is a gypsy, same as her mother and grandmother. Even as a gypsy with psychometry, she doesn’t understand how her gifts would place her in this school. She’s not rich, strong, a warrior or anything. She just sees herself as a normal comic book loving girl who happens to be able to see things when touching objects and people.
Jasmine, the queen B of the 2nd year students ends up dead in the school library. Gwen takes it upon herself to find out what happened to her. She feels she must find out what happened despite that all the other students seem so jaded and aren’t affected at all by Jasmine’s demise, even if she was a mean girl. As Gwen starts her investigation she becomes friends with an unlikely ally, Daphne. She manages to forge a friendship with Daphne, an Amazon who was once friends with Jasmine. She also gets a little help from a cute Spartan, Logan. While Gwen works toward uncovering what really happened with Jasmine, she really starts to come into her own and learns more about herself and her mother, and grandmother. Her discoveries help her cope and begin to understand what her purpose is.
This story drew me in very quickly. It’s full of magic, good and evil, and dynamic characters. It was fast paced and toward the end some of the loose ends were tied up and we got a good explanation as to why Gwen was sent to this school to begin with. The end of the story gave us some information lending to a feeling of being satisfied with the ending of the book, yet still set us up nicely for the 2nd installment, which I am excited to read.
