kookie9200's review against another edition
4.0
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me to read this book in return for my honest opinion.
I really enjoyed this little adventure! Kali is the daughter of Eros, the God of love. When she accidentally sticks herself with a potent love arrow, she must face the consequences of her unintended match with a mortal. The story is cute, quirky, and just dramatic enough to keep you absorbed from the first words to the last.
I liked all the characters, so much so that I would enjoy more stories from Kali's world. Deya's story? Cosmo's? Teresa's? All have the potential for great books!
I really enjoyed this little adventure! Kali is the daughter of Eros, the God of love. When she accidentally sticks herself with a potent love arrow, she must face the consequences of her unintended match with a mortal. The story is cute, quirky, and just dramatic enough to keep you absorbed from the first words to the last.
I liked all the characters, so much so that I would enjoy more stories from Kali's world. Deya's story? Cosmo's? Teresa's? All have the potential for great books!
mae_mae13's review against another edition
5.0
This book had me hooked right from the get-go. One - I'm Greek and love reading anything relating to Greek mythology. Two - I love Kate Watson's books! Three - The synopsis sounded amazing! Lovestruck finds our central character Kali, who is a Greek goddess, training in to be a cupid. She ends up accidentally shooting herself with an arrow, which makes her fall in love with the broody Benicio, a musician.
Kali's friends are great and are willing to do anything to help a girl out of a tough situation. Kali is trying to regain control of her life instead of leaving it up to Fate, the three Greek sisters who write the fate of everyone. Kali is a very stubborn Goddess. The characters are all well written. Exactly what you come to expect from a Kate Watson book. They were well developed as was the plot line. I think a book like this could be difficult to pull off if not done right, but Kate Watson does it right. It had just the right amount of Greek mythology, it had an amazing group of support characters, there was a nice love story and lots of overbearing family members. It was exactly what I was looking for when I found this book on NetGalley and I found the book to be overall delightful!
“I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.”
Kali's friends are great and are willing to do anything to help a girl out of a tough situation. Kali is trying to regain control of her life instead of leaving it up to Fate, the three Greek sisters who write the fate of everyone. Kali is a very stubborn Goddess. The characters are all well written. Exactly what you come to expect from a Kate Watson book. They were well developed as was the plot line. I think a book like this could be difficult to pull off if not done right, but Kate Watson does it right. It had just the right amount of Greek mythology, it had an amazing group of support characters, there was a nice love story and lots of overbearing family members. It was exactly what I was looking for when I found this book on NetGalley and I found the book to be overall delightful!
“I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.”
sirenhexe's review against another edition
3.0
Summary: In the world of Greek gods, a cupid accidentally shoots herself with a love arrow and falls in love with a mortal boy.
I really liked the premise of this story - 'retelling' of Greek mythology is one of my favorite things to read. The overall storyline and characters are fun and lighthearted.
The world building goes a bit too quickly - the first 30% of the book I was very confused about where we were and who was all there. You're thrown into the world like you know the character names and how their society functions. Even by the end, there were Greek names being thrown around that I just kind of skipped over since I couldn't remember who it was.
The writing style is also a little more juvenile than I was expecting. I would categorize this more like middle grade through YA. The sentences are short, the conversations aren't that deep...I almost stopped reading because I thought it would be too boring.
But I kept reading and I was suddenly invested in what happened. There's a prophecy (of course) and I was curious how it would end. The writing didn't change necessarily but maybe I just got used to it.
At one point, a character pees their pants. Not only is this a bit too juvenile for me, but based on what we know of the character, I don't believe that would have actually happened. I think it was written in 'for laughs' but it just made me roll my eyes.
There's a satisfying ending, emotions run high, and a "twist".
Overall, a good 3.5 stars. Thank you to the publisher for this advanced copy!
As a side note to the publisher, there are some technical issues with the mobi that I hope will be fixed by the time publication hits. Doubled or skipped pages and the image of the arrow was stretched almost every time it was used.
I really liked the premise of this story - 'retelling' of Greek mythology is one of my favorite things to read. The overall storyline and characters are fun and lighthearted.
The world building goes a bit too quickly - the first 30% of the book I was very confused about where we were and who was all there. You're thrown into the world like you know the character names and how their society functions. Even by the end, there were Greek names being thrown around that I just kind of skipped over since I couldn't remember who it was.
The writing style is also a little more juvenile than I was expecting. I would categorize this more like middle grade through YA. The sentences are short, the conversations aren't that deep...I almost stopped reading because I thought it would be too boring.
But I kept reading and I was suddenly invested in what happened. There's a prophecy (of course) and I was curious how it would end. The writing didn't change necessarily but maybe I just got used to it.
At one point, a character pees their pants. Not only is this a bit too juvenile for me, but based on what we know of the character, I don't believe that would have actually happened. I think it was written in 'for laughs' but it just made me roll my eyes.
There's a satisfying ending, emotions run high, and a "twist".
Overall, a good 3.5 stars. Thank you to the publisher for this advanced copy!
As a side note to the publisher, there are some technical issues with the mobi that I hope will be fixed by the time publication hits. Doubled or skipped pages and the image of the arrow was stretched almost every time it was used.
3mmakatariina's review against another edition
4.0
e-arc provided by netgalley and the lovely publisher for providing this copy in exchange for an honest review
If you like Percy Jackson and want a similar book, but which is more romantic and light, this one is perfect for you!
I had a bit trouble reading it at first, but after reading it for a while i started enjoying it soo much! It was really light, fun and a romantic read!
Read more about my thought at my blog: https://3mmakatariina.wordpress.com/2019/04/09/review-lovestruck/
If you like Percy Jackson and want a similar book, but which is more romantic and light, this one is perfect for you!
I had a bit trouble reading it at first, but after reading it for a while i started enjoying it soo much! It was really light, fun and a romantic read!
Read more about my thought at my blog: https://3mmakatariina.wordpress.com/2019/04/09/review-lovestruck/
wordsareweapons's review
3.0
This was an intriguing premise. Greek gods trying to do their jobs and a cupid accidentally sticks herself with an arrow, causing her to fall in love with a mortal. Like, that's a cute concept, and for the most part this was a cute easy read. However, parts definitely felt bogged down. Kalixta was, honestly, kind of an idiot for a good portion of the book, and overly jaded for a 16 year old. A lot of the drama got blown out of proportion, which ok yes, is very normal for a bunch of 16 year olds, especially gods. It just got to be a bit too much at one point, but over all it was a cute read.
auburnedge's review against another edition
4.0
Thank you NetGalley for giving me the chance to read this book.
When I looked this book up it immediately knew it would be perfect for me. Greek gods, love arrows, and a girl who just can't figure out what she wants. Sign me up! I loved the relations to the big gods but also the fact the author threw in some minor gods and focused on them. It wasn't about Zues and that made it all the better. Instead we see a group of friends willing to do anything to help a girl out of a tough situation. A guy who will do anything for her and one collosal misunderstanding.
My only problem with this book, it's long. So long that in the middle I wondered what was going to take it so long. But I pushed through and the ending is worth it.
Perfect for fans of Olympian Challenger and other Greek God stories.
When I looked this book up it immediately knew it would be perfect for me. Greek gods, love arrows, and a girl who just can't figure out what she wants. Sign me up! I loved the relations to the big gods but also the fact the author threw in some minor gods and focused on them. It wasn't about Zues and that made it all the better. Instead we see a group of friends willing to do anything to help a girl out of a tough situation. A guy who will do anything for her and one collosal misunderstanding.
My only problem with this book, it's long. So long that in the middle I wondered what was going to take it so long. But I pushed through and the ending is worth it.
Perfect for fans of Olympian Challenger and other Greek God stories.
librarypatronus's review against another edition
4.0
This was so good. It took a bit to grab me, but when it did I couldn’t put it down until I finished it. I loved the mythology intertwined with the modern world, the “mortie” side characters, and the romance.
spookshow's review against another edition
3.0
You can find this review and all of my others over at www.readbookrepeat.wordpress.com
I received a copy of this book from the publisher, North Star Editions, and the author via netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
Kali is a cupid in training. She's responsible for making the matches between a human couple if she believes they would make a good fit. However, she's not loving her destiny as much as she used to, since the Thunderclap, she's come to believe that it doesn't really matter what anyone does, the fates are responsible for everything anyway, and things will happen how they have been written. She does, however, have a slight investment into a mortie called Ben that she's been on assignment to for the past 5 weeks, she's knows exactly who she's going to match him with, as well as knowing everything there is to know about him. The problem comes when, while just about to match Ben with his forever love, Kali accidentally spikes herself on the end of one of her own arrows, just as he locks eyes with her. This creates a problem because a match made with an immortal, cannot be broken by a simple reversal arrow, in fact, Kali is told that they can't be broken period. So now a cupid in training feels incredibly strongly towards a mortie and her life is turned upside down. What a day.
So this story intrigued me because of the Greek mythology included in the story. It delves quite deep into the majority of the Greek Gods and Goddesses, but in a way that makes them seem like normal people which I really enjoyed. I felt like they were all written really well, and they really added another layer to this story.
I was disappointed though when the pacing in the first half of the book just...wasn't moving. When I'm constantly checking the percentage that I'm through at the bottom right hand corner of my kindle, I know that the pace is lagging. I'm not sure if this was because I didn't really care about Kali and Ben's budding romance, or if it was just that not a whole lot was happening in the first half. After the 55% mark, I found that the story picked up pace again and flew threw the last half of the book.
I found that I was way more interested in pretty much every other character rather than Ben and Kali. Kali was an interesting character, don't get me wrong, but I just found that she was SOOOOOOO self involved. I get it, she's a goddess, a cupid in training, she makes forever love matches. But seriously? She just came across super self involved and I feel like that irked me a bit. I get that that does have a lot to do with the story, but her fawning over the mortal boy was only passable because that was the main hook of the whole story. She totally disregards everyone else, and even gets snappy when Hector (her best friend) shows interest in another girl. I also understand the point of that, but I'm just finding it hard to feel endeared towards her self involvement.
I loved Teresa's character and I'm a little shattered that we didn't get to see more of her story. I loved the trip she took to the underworld and the interaction with Cerberus. That was a masterful stroke for me!
In all honestly for most of the book it was sitting at around a 2.5 star rating, but after enjoying the second half more than the first, I bumped it up because it did appeal a little more. I ended up quite enjoying all of the characters and the way their stories were going. I also enjoyed the message of the book as a whole. Which I won't share here, because otherwise what's the point in reading it?
I'd put this as a young adult fantasy romance. Fantasy purely because of the magic and Greek God and Goddess stuff, but I'd also put it as a coming of age story as well I think. I feel like Kali's character development was done really well for a stand alone story, I felt like by the last page, I could definitely see growth there which was great.
This was an easy going light read, if you find yourself struggling through the first half of the book, stick with it, it does pick up.
I received a copy of this book from the publisher, North Star Editions, and the author via netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
Kali is a cupid in training. She's responsible for making the matches between a human couple if she believes they would make a good fit. However, she's not loving her destiny as much as she used to, since the Thunderclap, she's come to believe that it doesn't really matter what anyone does, the fates are responsible for everything anyway, and things will happen how they have been written. She does, however, have a slight investment into a mortie called Ben that she's been on assignment to for the past 5 weeks, she's knows exactly who she's going to match him with, as well as knowing everything there is to know about him. The problem comes when, while just about to match Ben with his forever love, Kali accidentally spikes herself on the end of one of her own arrows, just as he locks eyes with her. This creates a problem because a match made with an immortal, cannot be broken by a simple reversal arrow, in fact, Kali is told that they can't be broken period. So now a cupid in training feels incredibly strongly towards a mortie and her life is turned upside down. What a day.
So this story intrigued me because of the Greek mythology included in the story. It delves quite deep into the majority of the Greek Gods and Goddesses, but in a way that makes them seem like normal people which I really enjoyed. I felt like they were all written really well, and they really added another layer to this story.
I was disappointed though when the pacing in the first half of the book just...wasn't moving. When I'm constantly checking the percentage that I'm through at the bottom right hand corner of my kindle, I know that the pace is lagging. I'm not sure if this was because I didn't really care about Kali and Ben's budding romance, or if it was just that not a whole lot was happening in the first half. After the 55% mark, I found that the story picked up pace again and flew threw the last half of the book.
I found that I was way more interested in pretty much every other character rather than Ben and Kali. Kali was an interesting character, don't get me wrong, but I just found that she was SOOOOOOO self involved. I get it, she's a goddess, a cupid in training, she makes forever love matches. But seriously? She just came across super self involved and I feel like that irked me a bit. I get that that does have a lot to do with the story, but her fawning over the mortal boy was only passable because that was the main hook of the whole story. She totally disregards everyone else, and even gets snappy when Hector (her best friend) shows interest in another girl. I also understand the point of that, but I'm just finding it hard to feel endeared towards her self involvement.
I loved Teresa's character and I'm a little shattered that we didn't get to see more of her story. I loved the trip she took to the underworld and the interaction with Cerberus. That was a masterful stroke for me!
In all honestly for most of the book it was sitting at around a 2.5 star rating, but after enjoying the second half more than the first, I bumped it up because it did appeal a little more. I ended up quite enjoying all of the characters and the way their stories were going. I also enjoyed the message of the book as a whole. Which I won't share here, because otherwise what's the point in reading it?
I'd put this as a young adult fantasy romance. Fantasy purely because of the magic and Greek God and Goddess stuff, but I'd also put it as a coming of age story as well I think. I feel like Kali's character development was done really well for a stand alone story, I felt like by the last page, I could definitely see growth there which was great.
This was an easy going light read, if you find yourself struggling through the first half of the book, stick with it, it does pick up.
mwager's review against another edition
adventurous
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
penningtales's review against another edition
2.0
Please note: I received an advance digital copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. This does not influence my opinions in any way.
Kali is an Erote (think Cupid) who’s tasked with matching people. While out on an assignment, she accidentally pricks her finger on her own arrow and finds herself falling madly in love with her target, a mortal named Ben. But because she’s still in-training, the match could be reversed, right?
Wrong.
A match with an immortal cannot be broken, even with a training arrow. Now with her free-will and sanity on the line, Kali will stop at nothing to break her the arrow’s magic.
I liked how Kali knew how the arrow took away the agency of the people who are struck and was against that. She valued being able to choose your match either than having your match chosen for you by divine intervention or by the fates.
Despite this, I found her extremely unlikeable. Although she is an immortal, Kali acted very immaturely. She even came off as superficial, selfish, and arrogant at times. That made being in her head frustrating, which was whole length of the novel. But I did like how her friends, Hector, even the narrative called her out on her actions, that it wasn’t brushed aside or ignored.
I think I could’ve forgiven the above, if she hadn’t lead two boys on for the duration of the novel.
That’s right, there’s a love triangle here.
Ben, who she falls for thanks to the arrow, is an indie rock singer, who‘s sweet, but insecure.
The other is her childhood friend and ex boyfriend, Hector. After Kali broke his heart, he pushes his feelings aside to continue being her friend and support her through everything.
I should also mention Deya, Kali’s best friend. She’s bold, loyal, determined and I genuinely liked her side-plot. I ended up enjoying her character arc a lot more.
The world building in this novel was very well done, cleverly integrating the Greek mythology into modern day. I also liked how we’re given a rundown when a new Greek goddess/god is mentioned or make an appearance so we all know who’s who. That was very helpful. My only gripe was with the lack of diversity, with all the matches being with hetero couples only.
All in all, the premise of this book intrigued me, but I think this book was geared towards younger readers.
Kali is an Erote (think Cupid) who’s tasked with matching people. While out on an assignment, she accidentally pricks her finger on her own arrow and finds herself falling madly in love with her target, a mortal named Ben. But because she’s still in-training, the match could be reversed, right?
Wrong.
A match with an immortal cannot be broken, even with a training arrow. Now with her free-will and sanity on the line, Kali will stop at nothing to break her the arrow’s magic.
I liked how Kali knew how the arrow took away the agency of the people who are struck and was against that. She valued being able to choose your match either than having your match chosen for you by divine intervention or by the fates.
Despite this, I found her extremely unlikeable. Although she is an immortal, Kali acted very immaturely. She even came off as superficial, selfish, and arrogant at times. That made being in her head frustrating, which was whole length of the novel. But I did like how her friends, Hector, even the narrative called her out on her actions, that it wasn’t brushed aside or ignored.
I think I could’ve forgiven the above, if she hadn’t lead two boys on for the duration of the novel.
That’s right, there’s a love triangle here.
Ben, who she falls for thanks to the arrow, is an indie rock singer, who‘s sweet, but insecure.
Spoiler
He’s feels inferior to Kali in every way and it quickly turns their relationship toxic. Kali senses this, and yet does nothing to smother her arrow-induced feelings. Which frustrated me when her initial plan was to fight to end arrow’s magic.The other is her childhood friend and ex boyfriend, Hector. After Kali broke his heart,
Spoiler
believing his feelings were the result of arrow magic,Spoiler
I’ll admit it: I hated how she dismissed Hector’s one-sided love, but also had the nerve to get jealous when he start spending time with another girl, calling her all sorts of names. Hector deserved so much better.I should also mention Deya, Kali’s best friend. She’s bold, loyal, determined and I genuinely liked her side-plot. I ended up enjoying her character arc a lot more.
The world building in this novel was very well done, cleverly integrating the Greek mythology into modern day. I also liked how we’re given a rundown when a new Greek goddess/god is mentioned or make an appearance so we all know who’s who. That was very helpful. My only gripe was with the lack of diversity, with all the matches being with hetero couples only.
All in all, the premise of this book intrigued me, but I think this book was geared towards younger readers.