Customer Reviews

Goddess Boot Camp (Oh. My. Gods.)

5 star:		(8)
4 star:		(10)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

In the follow up novel to OH. MY. GODS., seventeen-year-old Phoebe Petrolas, a descendent of the Greek goddess Nike, can't seem to control her newly discovered super powers. When the Gods decide she will need to face a test on the Summer Solstice, her stepfather enrolls her in Goddess Boot Camp, a training ground for those who have not yet mastered their powers.

It seems like a lousy way to spend two weeks and only gets worse when on the first day of camp Phoebe learns the other campers are much younger than her, ten- to twelve- years old and the camp counselors are her foils: Stella, her stepsister and Adara, her boyfriend's ex. When a family secret surrounding Phoebe's real father seems like it might be revealed, Phoebe's emotional stress increases to Olympic proportions. Now she needs to keep it together, so she can learn to manage her powers as the clock ticks toward her big test day.

Tera Lynn Childs has written a light and funny book with an imaginative world based on the island where descendants of the gods train and go to school. GODDESS BOOT CAMP has all the typical high school dramas--cliques, boyfriends and such--with an otherworldly twist.
-- Reviewed by Michelle Delisle

This is the second book in Oh. My. Gods. Series. If you have not read the first in this series, this review might have spoilers. If you have not read the first book in this series...

PJVs QUICKIE POV: Keeping in line with the first novel, Goddess Boot Camp is a good follow-up. Just as the title and cover portray this is a candy-sweet YA full of happy "be-true-to-yourself" messages and kissy-kissy feel goodness. A charming novel to pass the time, it is highly entertaining and a book I would pass along to a friend.

REVIEW: Phoebe is still basking in the after-glow of her new found relationship with Griffin and the discovery that she is Nike's descendant and in possession of a certain set of godly powers. Mastering those powers is another problem in and of itself, especially when her emotions run high. When she accidentally floods her room, dresses her step-sister in birthday cake attire - and forces the entire school to flee a pack of lions the gods decide to intervene. Phoebe needs to master her powers, because she will be tested by the gods - and failure is not an option.

How to master those powers? Goddess Boot Camp of course.

I actually think I liked this one better than the first one. The characters seemed to mature a bit, and with the culmination of the "discovery" out of the way - and now the impeding test on the horizon it gave a focus, instead of a mystery. There were a few side-plotted mysteries in this, but they were vague enough that I didn't guess them and made sense once they were revealed. Well 1 out of 2 did. I still never understood the whole Griffin/Adara thing. What exactly was going on there??

Like the first, this one is lightly, entertaining, but lacked a depth that I usually like in my novels. Some would say this was the YA voice, but I've read many a YA novel that had a sugar-sweet tone, but had an intensity of plot and depth of character that grounded it and made it a satisfying read. This series, doesn't have that depth.

RECOMMENDATIONS: Fans of the lighter side of the paranormal should really enjoy. I place this one in the category with books like I'd Tell You I Love You But Then I'd Have to Kill You & As You Wish.

"Goddess Boot Camp" is the second book in a whimsical series by Tera Lynn Childs. Along with the first book, "Oh. My. gods." it might look like a Percy Jackson rip off at first, but Childs has her own unique style and her tales are not actually that similar to the Lightning Thief saga. Sure, both feature modern day kids who find out that they are related to Greek gods. Both are styled after school stories- Percy Jackson at Camp Halfblood and the books about Phoebe Castro at a high school for the descendants of the gods.

In other respects, the books are quite different. Percy and his friends are heroes who go on daring missions and engage in battle with monsters. Phoebe is a promising high school distance runner, brought to the secret island of Serfopoula, Greece when her mother marries the headmaster of the top secret Academy. Her original story is all about adjustment, fitting in, and teen love. The second book takes us through the summer after her first year in Serfopoula. Phoebe wonders if her dreamy boyfriend is cheating on her, she worries about an upcoming test, and she finds that maybe she can get along with her new stepsister after all. Phoebe's triumphs and tribulations are probably going to be best received by girls in their tween or early teen years.

I loved the concept of a Goddess Boot Camp; it was so clever how Childs put that together and what sorts of exercises and lesson plans there would be. Phoebe is still such a fun character to read about, especially in the beginning where her powers get accidentally used- those were hilarious. Other characters are given more depth than they were in the first book, which was great to see. Something the summary doesn't mention is that Phoebe gets these mysterious notes throughout the book that send her on a bit of a wild goose chase to find out what really happened to her father. That part of the book was extremely interesting and the person behind it all was a surprise to me. The end of the book, while good, was a bit of a disappointment for me, but I don't really want to say why since it's a bit of a spoiler. I just hope there's at least another book in the works, or even a short story or novella that could be posted online, lol. But, all in all, it is a very good book and the background setting of the warm, beautiful island is the perfect setting to read about during these coming cold months.

Gold Star Award Winner!

Pheobe's having problems controlling her magical powers. Often, what she's thinking transforms in her everyday life.

The gods aren't happy. She's scared they'll kill her on the spot (after what happened with her father).

Damian enrolled her in Goddess Boot Camp before heading on his honeymoon. He forgot to tell her the average age of the campers before he left. Now, Pheobe's desperately trying to keep her powers under control in front of a bunch of 10-year-olds.

She's also worried about passing a test from the gods, a possible cheating boyfriend, and her snarky stepsister.

The addition of Pheobe's powers to the story adds humor as she struggles to control them. The sequel to OH. MY. GODS. continues its delightful magical, mythological tale.

Reviewed by: Jennifer Rummel

This is a very good book. Phoebe is put in a diffuclt place with her mom going on her honeymoon and her powers being hard to handle.....and then comes her stepdad putting her in godess boot camp.This is a great book for people who love the storys about greek gods,so have fun reading reader !

This was a cute sequel, and honestly I had more fun reading this one than I did reading the first one. Mainly, because it contained more of the mythology and the magic. There were some loose ends that weren't addressed (like the mystery of Nicole) so I do hope that a third one is underway. For Young Adult Fantasy, these books are definitely aimed at girls only, but with strong, decisive young women that are not always found in the genre. Also, these books are clean, fun, entertainment. I definitely will be keeping an eye out for this author's work.

Phoebe Castro has had nearly a year to come to terms with the fact that she's descended from the Greek goddess Nike, and while she has fully accepted the change, she still can't control her powers. Now, the gods are threatening her with a test, so her stepfather enrolls her in Goddess Boot Camp for the summer. Meanwhile, Phoebe, a long distance runner, is also training for the Pythian Games' trials with her boyfriend Griffin, and trying to control her jealousy when she sees him with his ex-girlfriend Adara. She's also pretty desperate to find out the truth about how her father died. Can Phoebe make it through boot camp, pass the test, make the team, and keep it together with Griffin?

I loved this book just as much as the first one. One of my favorite things about this series is that Phoebe is a runner; her dedication to this hobby gives her character a depth that not all heroines have, and it adds to her relationship with Griffin, who is also a runner. It makes sense that they're together because they have a lot in common besides their interest in each other. I also liked Phoebe's growing relationships with her evil stepsister and her stepfather, both of whom are not quite what they appear. I really hope that there are more books in this series, because it is definitely one of my favorites.

If you've read Oh.My.Gods, then you know all about Phoebe. In the first book, she finds out that she's a decendent of a greek god. Her life will never be the same. She has to go to a special school for those who are in the family tree of greek gods.

In Godess Bootcamp, the story continues. As Phoebe is gettiing used to her new boyfriend, and friends, she's having problems controling her powers. If she can't get them under control, she could really hurt someone. Her step dad, and head of her school feels that she needs to go to "Godess Bootcamp." Phoebe is shocked to learn that pretty much everyone that goes there is about 10 years old. When she's there, there are some other "surprises" that are waiting for her. One's that she won't like and isn't prepared for. I don't want to say what, because I don't want to spoil anything.

She has a lot more then Godess Bootcamp to worry about. Phoebe think's that her boyfrined isn't being faithful and honest with her. Also, she learns something about how her dad died, and what she konws about his death, may not be right. What could someone be hiding?

Overall, I really liked this book. The author has a lot of plot twists, and has a very smooth writing style. If you haven't read the first book in the series, Oh.My.Gods, then start if and enjoy the ride. I look forward to the next installment.

In the further adventures of eighteen-year-old Phoebe Castro, close descendant of the Greek goddess Nike, Phoebe is struggling to control her recently discovered, very strong, and randomly triggered powers. If she doesn't get them under control soon, she is terrified the Olympian gods will smite her as they did her father. To help her pass an upcoming trial by the gods in only a few weeks, her stepfather sends Phoebe to Goddess Boot Camp. But Phoebe discovers it is run by her aggravating stepsister and her boyfriend Griffin's ex-girlfriend, a fellow goddess who can't seem to get the message that she's no longer with Griffin. Worse, all the other attendees are only ten years old!

This is a real treat for anyone who enjoys young adult contemporary-fantasy novels with a big dose of comedy. The romantic plot isn't quite as strong in this book as in the first book in this duology, Oh. My. Gods., because Phoebe is now in a relationship with a boyfriend who loves her--though the author does put in some roadblocks to their romance. Mainly the story focuses on Phoebe's experiences in getting her powers under control, which produces many wacky situations.

Fans of the first book in this series will be delighted to discover this cute sequel--I certainly was! This book is predominantly geared toward us. While it is possible that readers who haven't read OMG might enjoy this book anyway, their experience would be greatly enhanced by reading OMG first.