Dark Goddess
by Amalie Howard
Series: Alpha Goddess, Book 2
Genres: Fantasy, Hindu Mythology, Young Adult, Paranormal, Romance
Release Date: February 13, 2018
Pages: 376
Purchase from: Amazon | Barnes & Noble
My Rating: ★★★★★
After an epic struggle that unseated the Azura Lord of Death and placed Serjana Caelum’s best friend, Kyle, on his throne, the Mortal Realm is peaceful and the balance between good and evil—which Sera is sworn to protect—has been restored.
But signs of a new threat to the world of men quickly begin to appear: A scourge of demons descends on the Mortal Realm, and Sera is beside herself trying to locate their source. She sends word to the gods for help, and their answer comes in the form of Kira, the living incarnation of Kali, goddess of destruction.
Stunning and dangerous, Kira plans to protect the heavens at all cost, even if it means destroying the entire Mortal Realm. Soon Sera and Kyle find themselves fighting not just the demon plague, but Kira and her twin. But when an even more sinister threat arises—putting not just the human world but all planes of existence in jeopardy—they must all learn to work together or lose everything they sacrificed so much to save.
Review
I really enjoyed diving back into Amalie Howard’s Alpha Goddess world. Like the first book in the series, Dark Goddess was unpredictable and had me wondering about the outcome until the very end.
Kira and Darika were interesting additions to the cast, providing additional aid and distraction as necessary.
Dark Goddess does a great job of tying the various plot threads into a neat bow, so I’m guessing we won’t see a third book. I’m not bothered by that, though. The ending was satisfying.
My one problem with Dark Goddess is a continuity error. In Alpha Goddess, Ms. Howard writes:
And then it hit Sera — time in Xibalba was different from time in the Mortal Realms. What had been hours to her there had actually been days on Earth. –Alpha Goddess, pg 337
But in Dark Goddess, she contradicts herself with:
Then again, time flowed differently in the Dark Realms than it did in the Mortal Realm. Hours there were mere minutes here. –Dark Goddess, pg 305
Not a major issue, of course, but slightly annoying. It pulled me out of the story when I read it.
Despite that minor hiccup, I enjoyed Dark Goddess and would heartily recommend the series.
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.
