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beastreader's review
2.0
When I think of psychological novels, I instantly think of the words "goose bumps, head case, lack of sleep, paranoia." I love a really good psychological thriller. Yet, I would not associate this book with any of the words. It was kind of like I was waiting for both shoes to drop. If there was intensity, I did not experience none.
Additionally, Nancy was not a warm welcoming character in the way that I did not get to know her well before she was falling into Ana's grasp. Ana was not flashy in the way that she manipulated Nancy. Actually, I needed and craved this. Which, I did get a tiny bit towards the end of the story but by then it was too late for me. Also, when Nancy started brushing off her family and they were falling apart due to her, I felt bad for them. Not the thriller I was hoping for.
Additionally, Nancy was not a warm welcoming character in the way that I did not get to know her well before she was falling into Ana's grasp. Ana was not flashy in the way that she manipulated Nancy. Actually, I needed and craved this. Which, I did get a tiny bit towards the end of the story but by then it was too late for me. Also, when Nancy started brushing off her family and they were falling apart due to her, I felt bad for them. Not the thriller I was hoping for.
marceelf's review
3.0
http://www.anurseandabook.com/2017/11/the-goddesses-by-swan-huntley.html
Nancy and her family have moved to Hawaii, in an effort to save a marriage and to get her twin boys on the right path. They are little fire starters, but Nancy is steadfastly minimizing their behavior. Because if she didn't, she might have to do something about it. Same for her husband.
It's easier to go to a yoga class and focus on yourself. After meeting her yoga teacher, Ana, Nancy become caught up in Ana's world - which is a superstitious one, one where if you give away peanut butter sandwiches to the homeless, it will provide protection for you from the universe.
All of the signs are there that Ana is a liar and manipulating Nancy, but she is an expert at ignoring and excusing things she doesn't want to see.
But all that ignoring builds up to an emotional explosion, for everyone. Can Nancy's family survive?
Nancy and her family have moved to Hawaii, in an effort to save a marriage and to get her twin boys on the right path. They are little fire starters, but Nancy is steadfastly minimizing their behavior. Because if she didn't, she might have to do something about it. Same for her husband.
It's easier to go to a yoga class and focus on yourself. After meeting her yoga teacher, Ana, Nancy become caught up in Ana's world - which is a superstitious one, one where if you give away peanut butter sandwiches to the homeless, it will provide protection for you from the universe.
All of the signs are there that Ana is a liar and manipulating Nancy, but she is an expert at ignoring and excusing things she doesn't want to see.
But all that ignoring builds up to an emotional explosion, for everyone. Can Nancy's family survive?
marbooks88's review
3.0
Nancy and her family move to Hawaii to make a fresh start after her husband cheats and her sons have legal trouble. She meets Ana on the beach teaching yoga and embraces the lifestyle. At first things seem to be going well and Ana and Nancy work to have good karma by helping others. But somehow things take a dark turn and the ‘helping’ karma turns negative. In wanting to change is Nancy desperate enough to ignore what is really going on? And is Ana what she seems?
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an ARC for this review.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an ARC for this review.
miajmu's review
3.0
Creepy, cold, sad... a lot like Huntley's previous novel in tone. Interesting characters and story.
rebeccanotbecky's review
3.0
I'm not really sure what I think of this book except that pretty much all of the characters were awful. It was entertaining enough but I could see the twists from a mile away and couldn't believe how dumb the narrator was.
mindfullibrarian's review
4.0
Thanks to Doubleday Books for providing me with a finished copy of this book for review purposes - all opinions are my own.
I couldn't put this book down - I classify it as one of those "train wreck" stories that you are upset with while you read, but just can't stop reading anyway. Disturbing and full of characters I did NOT love, THE GODDESSES hits readers with an addictive relationship in a beautiful setting. The cover is deceptively calm for a story that holds so many twisted people and events - be aware. And honestly, that's why I liked it so much. It sucked me in with the serene image and the promised Hawaiian setting, and then glued me to the pages with Ana's despicable character and her attempted ruin of Nancy's life. Or was it an attempt to ruin her? Still trying to figure that out!
This isn't a frothy beach read, it's a glimpse into the desperation many of us fall into when we are forced into a situation where loneliness looms and nothing is familiar. Nancy's attraction to Ana reminds me of how desperate I was for ANYONE to hang out with when I was a stay-at-home mom of an infant and all of my friends worked......I ended up at some girl's house for a pitch about a pyramid scheme thingy because we met at Target and had babies the same age for goodness sakes! Nancy isn't the best mom and she isn't the best wife and she isn't the best anything.......but neither are the rest of us.
Recommended for readers who love a slow burn and don't mind reading on the dark side.
I couldn't put this book down - I classify it as one of those "train wreck" stories that you are upset with while you read, but just can't stop reading anyway. Disturbing and full of characters I did NOT love, THE GODDESSES hits readers with an addictive relationship in a beautiful setting. The cover is deceptively calm for a story that holds so many twisted people and events - be aware. And honestly, that's why I liked it so much. It sucked me in with the serene image and the promised Hawaiian setting, and then glued me to the pages with Ana's despicable character and her attempted ruin of Nancy's life. Or was it an attempt to ruin her? Still trying to figure that out!
This isn't a frothy beach read, it's a glimpse into the desperation many of us fall into when we are forced into a situation where loneliness looms and nothing is familiar. Nancy's attraction to Ana reminds me of how desperate I was for ANYONE to hang out with when I was a stay-at-home mom of an infant and all of my friends worked......I ended up at some girl's house for a pitch about a pyramid scheme thingy because we met at Target and had babies the same age for goodness sakes! Nancy isn't the best mom and she isn't the best wife and she isn't the best anything.......but neither are the rest of us.
Recommended for readers who love a slow burn and don't mind reading on the dark side.
candicec's review
2.0
2.5⭐️
About half way through this book I thought I should start playing a game about many times the author was going to mention Costco. I was hoping for a big twisty reveal at the end but sadly there really is not one.
About half way through this book I thought I should start playing a game about many times the author was going to mention Costco. I was hoping for a big twisty reveal at the end but sadly there really is not one.
queen_of_lost_stars's review
1.0
If I could give it less than one star, I would.
I picked this up simply because I live Kona, Hi. I thought it sounded mildly interesting. But...it leaves one with such a putrid aftertaste that it’s simply not worth the time to read.
It’s stressful. It’s triggering. And it’s stupid.
I picked this up simply because I live Kona, Hi. I thought it sounded mildly interesting. But...it leaves one with such a putrid aftertaste that it’s simply not worth the time to read.
It’s stressful. It’s triggering. And it’s stupid.
booklvrkat's review
3.0
This is one of those stories that you might like due to the reference of Single White Female (movie from 1992 starring Bridget Fonda & Jennifer Jason Leigh). It is not as powerful as that movie was to me. I did not get The Descendants reference until a couple of parts that were about 80% in, except for the tropical locale. Truly I picked this book up for the awesome cover, and I thought it would be a very different story.
Nancy and her family move to Kona to escape all kinds of problems. They just exchanged that life for a whole different slew of them. When Nancy meets Ahhhna (Anna, but pronounced like I wrote it, gets a little tedious every time someone corrects Anna to Ahhhna) at a morning yoga class the connection is instant. And there is where the story starts to turn. It is dark, and there are some parts that you just want to kick Nancy awake, but I think the author meant it like that. You’re supposed to fall down this deep, hypnotized hole of being enamored with Ahhhna. I have major dislike for the husband, and the sons act out as teenagers do. I won’t give anything away, and the epilogue had my head spinning, but this is a slow burn story all the way through & I did not feel fulfilled like a lot of my reading lately. All that said, would I read it again? Probably not.
Nancy and her family move to Kona to escape all kinds of problems. They just exchanged that life for a whole different slew of them. When Nancy meets Ahhhna (Anna, but pronounced like I wrote it, gets a little tedious every time someone corrects Anna to Ahhhna) at a morning yoga class the connection is instant. And there is where the story starts to turn. It is dark, and there are some parts that you just want to kick Nancy awake, but I think the author meant it like that. You’re supposed to fall down this deep, hypnotized hole of being enamored with Ahhhna. I have major dislike for the husband, and the sons act out as teenagers do. I won’t give anything away, and the epilogue had my head spinning, but this is a slow burn story all the way through & I did not feel fulfilled like a lot of my reading lately. All that said, would I read it again? Probably not.