'Goddess' is an interesting book and not quite what I expected from the synopsis. It definitely hit the satire nail on the head with the clear references to wellness culture, with particular emphasis placed on Gwyneth Paltrow and her cult-like Goop following. Though this satire was also underpinned by a real conversation around wellness and what it truly supplements for women in particular, for better or worse. I was also expecting the thriller-like suspense that hovered throughout much of the novel. I enjoyed the mystery and Agnes's self-doubt, which tied into her backstory and character traits. A big warning though, the thriller aspect is flipped on its head really abruptly and I think that's why so many people didn't end up enjoying the ending of the book. Personally, I found the ending delightful because it was different from what I expected.

Enter into the world of a celebrity wellness guru who creates and promotes the ‘change your lifestyle’ brand Goddess. High price tagged products and somewhat controversial therapeutics ensure inner well-being all in the name of promoting one’s self-care.
When writer Agnes Oliver attends a Goddess Summit on a Greek Island, all is not as promised. Devotees have fallen helplessly under the spell of mystical (guru) Geia Stone. A strange air permeates this remote island and with journalistic precision Agnes is set to uncover this ‘land of illusion’ and to protect the women from who and what Geia truly is.
Thank you to NetGalley, the author and House of Anansi Press for an ARC in exchange for a review of this highly recommended novel.

Goddess
2 1/2 stars. I had a hard time getting into Goddess, which was a shame because I found the summarized premise interesting. It was very hard to relate to the protagonist Agnes, and the Goddess brand was blatantly similar to Goop. I also saw the twists coming a mile away, and the climax was almost laughably short and easily resolved. I enjoyed the middle of the book when Agnes revealed more about herself and the action started picking up. I also liked the character Jack very much…Agnes was quite lucky. Geia could have been fascinating but again…everything was built built built and then suddenly resolved or dropped. I think the author has good ideas and a lot of potential, but I just didn’t care much for this book.

Thank you to NetGalley and House of Anansi Press for kindly providing an advanced copy of this book for my honest review.

Honestly I love anything this author puts out! I had such a good time reading this. It’s perfectly paced and I would highly
Recommend it to anyone :)

This book started out very strong and then it veers way off course. A meeting between a newly pub
Published writer and a handsome seasoned director on a plane and the sparks fly. There is an ex wife though. A seemingly perfect ce!ebrity influencer. This would have stayed interesting as the characters were well written and interesting. instead, the author veers off to an abrupt ending with a long build up that is nonsensical unnecessary.

Copy provided by the publisher and NetGalley

Compelling.. Mysterious.. Suspenseful.. I loved this book for everything it was and I highly recommend it!

This book left me feeling really frustrated. The beginning was so interesting and intriguing and I was genuinely interested to see where the story would take us. A Gwyneth Paltrow-esque health guru brings a group of loyal followers plus a writer with her own issues to a Greek island for a beauty and health summit? There were so many really cool ways this book could have gone and instead the big reveal and ending were really silly to me. This book was so atmospheric and really ominous vibes that just seemed pointless after the reveal. I did enjoy Agnes as a character with her insecurities and family issues to work out. Geisha was VERY interesting and I was waiting for more and then of course…that ending. I was expecting more of a psychological thriller and it felt like it wanted to go there, but just didn’t. It did keep my interest so I’ll give it credit for that. But overall, I’m a little disappointed.

Thank you to NetGalley and House of Anasi Press for an advanced digital reader’s copy in exchange for an honest review.

I know all books are a labor of love and I appreciate how hard it is to bring a book to print but this one just — wasn’t for me.

Agnes is a newly published author who is invited to an exclusive health retreat by celebrity actress and wellness guru Geia Stone. Struggling to complete her second novel, she jumps at the opportunity to obtain a change of pace, despite some weird initial interactions with the actress.

I found myself constantly putting this book down in favor of something else and skimming the end pages just to finish. Just a predictable and slow plot that didn’t have any of the tension or intrigue I was hoping for.

Goddess is a different book than the blurb led me to believe. I thought it would be a Goop satire, but instead it was an odd magical/mystical story. Add in uncomfortable mandatory nudity, and this was a total turn off for me.

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC for an honest review.

The wellness community is on display in this story of beauty trends, expensive treatments. The lengths women go through to prolong life, and extend the illusion of youth. Agnes Oliver , writer, has met Geia Stone , high priestess of the brand Goddess” . A chance meeting on a plane begins her journey into this world of illusion and deceit. The Goddess retreat is in a secluded place, that lends itself to mystery and eventually tragedy. Happy Reading

The premise of this book sounded so interesting! however, it didn't really draw me in like I expected it to. I think it needed a bit more intrigue early on to really get the reader invested in the rest of the book.

Refreshing and fun, Goddess is a perfect self-love Valentine's Day read! Geia is equal parts Gisel and Gweneth Paltrow, with her ex-husband Jack impossibly sophisticated, intelligent, and handsome. Agnes is relatable in all the right ways, struggling with her own past and current identity, and learning to love herself along the way. While I admit the ending felt rushed and anticlimactic, I truly enjoyed this story!

2/5

The secret to life is expectation management, and the expectations set for this book and the reality just don’t line up.

“An entrancing novel about a wellness retreat on a remote Greek island hosted by a celebrity guru who is more than meet the eye.”

I was expecting the circle meets Goop. Seeking satire or commentary on how outlandish the wellness community has gotten. That was not what this book is. The The main character feels flat upon first meeting and continues to not improve. In the first chapter the MC struggles to describe what her book is about, and frankly it’s a message I should have taken seriously.

Characters felt flat, the story took turns for no real reason and overall it’s just not for me.

Arc given for an unbiased review via Net Galley.

For most of this book I described it as weird and bizarre. Whether fictional or real I’ve always been wary of retreats that promise instantaneous transformation and renewal. Usually it’s a gimmick and a ploy to bilk money from their paying prey.
Agnes has writer’s block and goes on a Goddess retreat ostensibly to write an article about it but also to unleash her creative juices. I’m no pride, but some of the descriptions of the sessions were way too graphic and uncomfortable.
The most repulsive aspect of the book was the snake. I quickly sped past those scenes because I don’t do slithery.
The book turned out okey, but the entire premise was a bit outlandish.

Yoooooo, no.

This book had all the promise of being something great and then failed in the most spectacular way. It's a giant nothing burger.

Awful. Terrible.

Send it back to the drawing board.

Deborah Hemming's Goddess is Goop Fiction.

Agnes, the protagonist, is caught up in the life of, Geia Stone, a film star turned wellness guru--while starting a relationship with her ex-husband. A very interesting premise.

The slow build and Geia's increasingly insideous behavior leads readers to expect a thundrous resolution, but the payoff is not entirely satisfying as the slowness becomes rushed in the novel's closing chapters. Still, my desire to know what was going to happen drove me to the end, which speaks to the story Hemming created.

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.

Although I was intrigued by the premise, this book didn’t deliver for me. It felt disjointed and didn’t grab me like a thriller usually does. I wish this author the best of luck in the future. Maybe with some more readers and tweaking, this can become the thrilling novel I think it could be. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this arc in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to the publisher and to Netgalley for an opportunity with this title. Not my cup of tea, unfortunately. It was a bit of a mess and I couldn't find the thread to keep me invested through to the ending. Could be benefitted from a rebranding effort for more accurate portrayal.

Thank you NetGalley for sending me an arc in exchange for my honest review, all thoughts and opinions are my own!



I’m sorry, I couldn’t get into this one. It felt all over the place, it didn’t fully feel like the book that was marketed either.

I was so excited to read this book after reading a promising blurb about a woman invited to a "wellness retreat" of a famous actress-turned-guru and suddenly having it take a turn for the weird and worse. I expected a thriller/mystery meets commentary on social media and beauty standards, but this was... not it at all.

The best comparison I can think to make is its similarities with a psychological-thriller/mind-bending horror such as Midsommar or Don't Worry Darling, just not in a good way. The intent was there, but the execution was bad - especially the ending.

Goddess, to put simply, was just all over the place.

It took over 60% of the book to get to the actual retreat mentioned in the synopsis, and the 'strange happenings' don't start happening until approximately the three-quarters mark. None of the characters seemed particularly likable or real (i.e., two-dimensional), and the plot was lacking in multiple regards: the attempts at romance, building self-image, commentary on alternative 'healing' methods, etcetera.

I tend to give books the benefit of the doubt when it comes to the way it's written --especially in how it can be perceived by others-- but there are just too many things wrong with this book for me to think it can be properly enjoyed by its general audience. I think the synopsis was more promising/interesting than the actual plot of the book itself.

Nevertheless, my deepest thanks to NetGalley, Deborah Hemming, and House of Anansi Press Inc. for allowing me to read this ARC in exchange for an honest review.