Alpha Goddess
by Amalie Howard
Series: Alpha Goddess, Book 1
Genres: Fantasy, Hindu Mythology, Young Adult, Paranormal, Romance
Release Date: March 4, 2014
Pages: 408
Purchase from: Amazon | Barnes & Noble
My Rating: ★★★★★
In Serjana Caelum’s world, gods exist. So do goddesses. Sera knows this because she is one of them. A secret long concealed by her parents, Sera is Lakshmi reborn, the human avatar of an immortal Indian goddess rumored to control all the planes of existence. Marked by the sigils of both heaven and hell, Sera’s avatar is meant to bring balance to the mortal world, but all she creates is chaos. A chaos that Azrath, the Asura Lord of Death, hopes to use to unleash hell on earth.
Torn between reconciling her past and present, Sera must figure out how to stop Azrath before the Mortal Realm is destroyed. But trust doesn’t come easy in a world fissured by lies and betrayal. Her best friend Kyle is hiding his own dark secrets, and her mysterious new neighbor, Devendra, seems to know a lot more than he’s telling. Struggling between her opposing halves and her attraction to the boys tied to each of them, Sera must become the goddess she was meant to be, or risk failing, which means sacrificing the world she was born to protect.
Review
The world of Alpha Goddess was a breath of fresh air. Having only the vaguest familiarity with Hindu mythology, everything was new to me.
At its core, Alpha Goddess is a story of the Hindu version of the apocalypse, Kali Yuga, and the battle of good versus evil. But it’s told in such a masterful way, that I was left wondering, who would win, even until the end.
I really enjoyed Sera as a character, despite not really having anything to connect with her over. She was written in a believable manner, and her transformation throughout the story is interesting. It’s always nice to have a strong female lead who isn’t invulnerable.
I very much appreciate the author’s inclusion of the real Hindu mythology notes at the end of the book. Reading them has only made me more eager to delve deeper into Hindu mythology.
I look forward to returning to the world of the Alpha Goddess series in book two, Dark Goddess.
About the Author
AMALIE HOWARD is the author of several young adult novels critically acclaimed by Kirkus, Publishers Weekly, VOYA, and Booklist, including Waterfell, The Almost Girl, and Alpha Goddess, a Spring 2014 Kid’s INDIE NEXT title. Her debut novel, Bloodspell, was a #1 Amazon bestseller and a Seventeen Magazine Summer Read. The sequel, Bloodcraft, was a silver IPPY medalist and a Children’s Moonbeam award winner. She is also the co-author of the adult historical romance series, THE LORDS OF ESSEX, written with her good friend and fellow author, Angie Morgan.
As an author of color and a proud supporter of diversity in fiction, her articles on multicultural fiction have appeared in The Portland Book Review and on the popular Diversity in YA blog. She currently resides in Colorado with her husband and three children.
Author links: Website | Facebook | Goodreads | Instagram | Pinterest | Twitter | Amazon Author Page
Disclaimer: This review is based on a complimentary eBook I received from Xpresso Book Tours. The complimentary receipt of this book has in no way affected my review or rating.
