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22 of 24 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
The Story Siren Reviews:, May 2, 2008
If Phoebe Castro can keep her grades up and have another stellar cross-country season, her dream of attending USC with her best friends is only a track scholarship away. She's made all her plans, so it's a complete shock when her mom announces she's marring a mysterious stranger and moving them halfway around the world to- Greece.
Phoebe's stuck on a secret island in the Aegean attending the super-exclusive Academy, where her new stepfather is the headmaster and the kids are anything but your average students- they are descendants of the Greek gods, superpowers included. That's right, Greek gods are no myth! If Phoebe thought high school was hard, she knows this is going to be mortal misery.
Securing that scholarship seems like Phoebe's only ticket out of Greece, but training and maintaining her grades will be grueling, even without a sabotaging stepsister from Hades and a gorgeous guy- what a god!- who just might be her Achilles' heel. One thing is for sure- summoning the will to win and finding her place among the gods could be Phoebe's toughest course yet.
The Greek gods get a makeover in this romantic odyssey of mythic proportion."
(This is the summary from the back of the book, I thought it was to great to pass up, and I don't think summarizing is one of my strong points!)
I don't even know where to start! I guess first off, I should say that I've been looking forward to reading this book since I first heard about it, I'm a huge fan of Greek Mythology. So, to say that I was expecting a lot going into it, doesn't quite cover it. I don't know if anyone else does this, but I always look at the thickness I have left of a book to read once I start a good reading spell, and I either think two things; 1.) okay I only have this much more to go. Or 2.) oh no! This is all that's left! This book definitely falls under the later. I loved Childs writing style, and her interruption of the Greek gods. What is so good about this book is the reality mixed with the myth. I mean, we have a honest portrayal of a girl struggling to make sense of the world, and it works even a mythical one. The characters are distinctive, and each portrayal of their god or goddess remains in tact within the distinctiveness. What else can I say, I absolutely loved it. I loved the story, Phoebe, her struggles and triumphs, and of course the catalyst to any good romance, the boys. What else could you want?
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10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars
A Girl's Knock-off of Percy Jackson, January 6, 2010
Proof that when a book makes it big, all the other publishers jump on the bandwagon, Oh. My. Gods. is very similar to The Lightning Thief. . . . Except it's written for girls.
Phoebe's mom goes to Greece to meet her late husband's extended family and comes back with a fiance. Against, her will, Phoebe is forced to move to a small island near Greece where said fiance is the headmaster of a small school.
Based on the title of the book and the book I compared it to, I'm sure you've already realized that the school is a school for the offspring of the Greek gods. Differing from the Percy Jackson series, Phoebe is not half-god (at least... not in the majority of the story), and therein lies the crux of the story. Everyone hates her because she's normal, and she has a crush on the most popular guy in school, who just happens to be dating the most popular girl in school, who just happens to be a spiteful bitch.
Despite its unsurprising storyline, this was a decent read. It only took a few hours, and it's entertaining. Finding out that Phoebe's crush has a heroes' complex and literally cannot pass up someone who needs help is a welcome and funny surprise for the reader. Seeing the stepsister and Phoebe settle their differences (but not become best friends) is refreshing (although perhaps outweighed by Phoebe's new best friend throwing aside her 10-year dislike of the Phoebe's crush in a matter of minutes).
Overall, as a fluff book, this is a good read. There's romance and betrayal. Lots of teen angst. An evil stepsister. Loyal best friends. New best friends. Perfect matches. A bet reminiscent of the late '90s (think She's All That.) All the components necessary for a good teen read. But if you're looking for something life-changing and mind-altering, you might want to keep looking.
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7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
I couldn't put it down!, May 15, 2008
Poor Phoebe is dragged off to a Greek island, away from her best friends, only to learn her new stepfather is headmaster at a school for the descendents of the Greek gods. Unless she can keep up her grades and make the track team, she'll lose her scholarship to USC and the chance to return home for college. But how does a girl hold her own against super-kids determined to make her life miserable? And then there's her track nemisis Griffin, too gorgeous for even a Greek god.
Luckily I started this book on a Saturday afternoon because I read it in one sitting and immediately wanted more. (Yes, I've heard there's a sequel coming but not quickly enough!!!)I loved Phoebe and her friends, both old and new. Mythology is cleverly woven into the story but never takes over. Although it's a young adult book, it's so original and fun, even adults will enjoy it. Buy it. Now.
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