Goddess of Light

Author: P.C. Cast
Published: April 5, 2005 (Berkley)
Category: Romance
Rating: 6/10

Twins Artemis and Apollo have been sent to the kingdom of Las Vegas to test their mettle in a world where they are no longer worshiped. The last thing Artemis expected was to be obliged to a mortal through a heartfelt wish - and she demands that her golden brother make that wish a reality. Who better than the handsome and charming God of Light to bring love to this lonely woman?

But Apollo is not quite prepared for this spitfire of a woman in her stiletto heels. Pamela may be a mortal, but she is a goddess in spirit - and in Sin City, where all of life is a gamble, Pamela finds the courage to let go of her fears and love again. After all, you only live once. Or do you?

This is probably my least favorite of Cast's books. Artemis annoyed me to no end with her nose stuck in the air, complaining about the humans and their world that wasn't good enough for her goddessness. There was something absurd about this book, and it's not because I'm not comfortable with this kind of romance/fantasy/gods amongst humans novel. I've liked other Cast books, but I kept imagining a guy like Arnold Schwarzenegger with Greek accent, naive arrogance of a god, and broken English saying that he's Apollo and Pamela is his chosen woman.

Bacchus, the god of wine and revelry is all pissy that the twins are having a great time in his city, and decides to irrationally get revenge on all the gods coming to enjoy themselves in Vegas by taking it out on Apollo and his newfound love. I rolled my eyes more than once when reading about Bacchus sulking and whining about how he wants Vegas all to himself.

And the ending? Come on! It's practically another City of Angels. Pamela gets killed and winds up in Hades' domain. So she and Apollo decide to jump into the River Lethe and be reborn, as true soulmates will always find each other.