Amy McNulty

Clarion is our quiet, determined hero of this story. She’s on the cusp of adulthood and this adventure will catapult her into life with several decisive actions. I really liked her character. She’s had a pretty stable if downward spiraling life up until recently. She and her mom are facing poverty. With her dad deceased, it’s up to her and her mom to make ends meet. I was right beside Clarion in her grief over her mom’s decision to sell the last of the pigs. However I do wonder why Clarion thought Royce and Raymond would keep their little pig farm going. I’m pretty sure Clarion understood that it takes male and female pigs to get a new generation of piglets… but her inner monologue on these two boy pigs says she doesn’t. That was the first little thing that didn’t make sense with this tale.

Note: I have since learned that it’s Royse (as in Medieval version of Rose). The author shared that little tidbit with me which is great since I didn’t pick up on the spelling with this audioversion.

Over all, I enjoyed this story. With that said, there are several small points (like the pig issue mentioned above) that show this tale could have used a little polishing. Clarion’s mom comes off as a bit of a harpy at first but then her character becomes softer, more approachable. But then we quickly move on with the rest of the story, so I can’t say which version of Clarion’s mom was the more realistic. These are just two examples of small points that sometimes contradicted each other.

Anyhoo, Clarion has a social gathering to get ready for and that involves first cleaning the Mayor’s house and then borrowing someone’s dress. Her beloved harp (a big awkward thing) may not be her’s for much longer. Both Clarion and I were sad about this. But we are given little time to cry over that because there’s a big beanstalk!

From this point forward, things get a bit predictable. The story still has a charm to it but I was not surprised by anything. Up in the clouds, there’s a domineering bully of a giant along with other giants. The characters travel up and down the various beanstalks while they attempt to resolve all the conflicts. The witch Jacosa plays a key role in these beanstalks and in shrinking and enlarging various characters; her herbs and magical beans provide the backbone for this tale.

Now I really did like that Clarion is having to muddle through her romantic feelings in the midst of all this. She and Elena have been friends for years and perhaps a little more. However, in the recent months, Clarion isn’t sure she feels that way about Elena any longer. Then a new young man comes to town, Mack, and Clarion feels her first little crush on a boy. I loved that her blossoming feelings for a potential heterosexual relationship doesn’t diminish her past homosexual feelings for Elena. Two thumb ups for this aspect of the story despite some ridiculous insta-love later on in the tale.

Now the ending is a bit of a cliffhanger so I hope there will be a sequel, otherwise Clarion will be stuck in an uncomfortable disposition forever. All told, it was Clarion that carried me through the story. I was attached to her even with the tale being a bit predictable.

I received this audiobook as part of my participation in a blog tour with Audiobookworm Promotions. The tour is being sponsored by Amy McNulty. The gifting of this audiobook did not affect my opinion of it.

Narration: Kaitlin Descutner did a very good job with this story. She had the perfect young lady voice for Clarion. There was singing! Yes, indeed! Descutner pulled this off really well. Not all narrators can easily work in a bit of singing and Descutner did not disappoint. Her male voices were believable and all her characters were distinct. There were no technical issues with the recording.… (altro)

I got this from Library Thing, I think last year but has been unable to read it until now. This story has paranormal, romance and time travel thrown into the mix. Until now, I am still unsure if I like the story but it was interesting.

I think what caught me with this is the title. Yes, what's a "Nobody's Goddess"? Satisfyingly, that question was answered in the story.

Of course, judging by the title--goddess, the protagonist of the story is a girl--Noll. A young woman or a seventeen-year old whose love is unrequited. What's more painful is the person she loves and wants to be with is in love with her sister. Her best friend in the world is in love with her more-attractive-yet-lacking-in-personality sister. What a sad and cruel world!

In a world where women dominates and men have to wear a mask their whole life if his love or wife does not return his love. Or if the woman does refuse the man's love, the man is bound to find himself banished in the commune to live a life of poor distaste, grief and shame. Noll, wanting to find out who started this whole thing about a man loving and worshipping only one woman in his entire life, sought out the Master in the castle. And that, later on lead her to an incredible experience in a time way far back from her own. What she found was the reason why women were treated as goddesses and who was the person responsible for it--the first goddess. And realizing the root of her problem was like a sharp slap to her face which stung a lot.

This is a sad tale. Finding out that the one you love does not love you back is painful but chooses to spend forever with your sister is adding salt to the already gaping wound. Then, finding out the person responsible for that sad reality is even more devastating. But the redeeming quality of the story is Noll's realization that she actually could do something to change things and give some men a choice to find someone else to love and not die in grief, when that other person does not return the love. It comes full circle and whatever mistakes or misdeeds done in the past will be better in the future. Oh, I would give anything to be able to do something like that. To change the present or the future by going back to some time in the past. Honestly, I don't have regrets. I can't take back or undo whatever happened in my life but there are times I wish my life was way better than it is now. Or the lot I was given in life, like what if my family were rich and I was not bullied or was an easy target for some people's rudeness. I am not sure if these would make my life a lot better but sometimes you just wish that you were someone else or some place else or circumstances were different. I do live a different life in my imaginings. At least, that is a lot safer, no collateral or irreversible damages.

I give this book 3/5 swords. The story is interesting and a very well-thought out plot but I was not so drawn into it. I am not sure if I liked Noll but she definitely has a very spirited and spunky personality which is very admirable. And I do feel sorry for her that her best friend is not in love with her. I do feel her but in some way, there is a part where I cannot totally relate to her. I do like her real name, Oliviere. It does slide off the tongue beautifully. I can't blame the Master wanting to call her by that name. It's a very unique name because it sounds like a name of a boy and a girl given that name is very cool. I wish my name is as cool as that.



I could live without love . I'd accepted that by now. I wasn't sure I could live without freedom.
- Amy McNulty, Nobody's Goddess -

Thank you again Librarything and Amy McNulty for the copy.… (altro)