Oh. My. Gods

Title: Oh.My.Gods

Author: Tera Lynn Childs

Pages: 272 (hardcover), 288 (paperback)

Published: Dutton, May 2008

Recommended!/Not recommended

Genre: Contemporary Fiction/Mythology/Fantasy

Cover Rating: A

Overall Score: A-

 
    Phoebe Castro has always loved to run. When she runs, she can feel her deceased father by her side, and she has no problems. So that's why she wants to commit her life to her sport. She even has her whole future planned out: after graduating from high school, she'll be going to USC on scholarship. After that, she'll be a famous runner. But her life suddenly changes when her mom shows up with a new man on her arm, announcing that they're getting married and moving to his home, the tiny, isolated island of Serfopoula in Greece. Phoebe thinks all is lost: what about college? What about her best friends? The only good part of moving is that she'll be far away from her ex, Jerky Justin

. But once in Greece, Phoebe's got a whole lots of surprises in store for her: a stepsister from Hell who wants to make Phoebe's life miserable, and a huge secret about her school: all the students are descendants of the Greek gods, including her stepfather himself! But not all is lost: Phoebe manages to make some friends and some enemies (including the very good looking boy on cross country team...), as well as finding out a secret about herself that she didn't know was possible...Can Phoebe follow her dreams as an athlete, even though she's thousands of miles away from her home? Will she be able to fit in at her new school? With a little romance, lots of magic, and some fun, that might just be possible...

   My thoughts: What an awesome, well-written, and clever debut from a talented author! The second I heard about Oh.My.Gods, I knew I would have to read it and betted that I would love it (I'm a total sucker for original plotlines, so this one was like my birthday and Christmas combined!). The writing was simple and understandable, so readers will never get lost in the plot, unlike other complicated stories that I've read in the past.

   Just the utter creativity blew my mind. I love, love, loved the story: a school for ancestors of ancient Greek gods? It was perfect. Pheobe herself was a spunky kick-butt protagonist with a great voice, and the book was fast-paced, having me whipping through pages madly until the awesome ending. Before I get too gushy here, I'll conclude. (:

   Overall, Oh.My.Gods (love that title, don't you?) was a stellar debut, a fun read perfect for the beach or summer. I look forward to reading the sequel, Goddess Boot Camp, coming out in June 2009!

PS. Which cover do you prefer? Hardcover (top) or paperback (above, right)? My vote's in for the hardcover, with the awesome Greek statue and running shoes! (: