Book Review: Goddesses Inc. by Autumn Bardot

Disclosure: I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book which I received from the author. All views expressed are only my honest opinion.

Published on: 11 March 2021
Type: HEA, standalone
Genre: Adult, Contemporary, Women – Humor
Author: Autumn Bardot
Read: 10 March 2021
Shelved: 12 March 2021
Rating: 5 / 5 stars ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Get it here:
Amazon | Goodreads | Bookbub

Synopsis

Divinity was their destiny. Now mortality is their fate.

Mnem has everything. A glamorous lifestyle, beauty, family, and immortality. But she doesn’t have a platform. Or followers. Or relevance. Which is why Mnemosyne, goddess of remembrance and mother of the nine muses, is fired.

Mnem isn’t the only one. Three other goddesses are also up a mortal creek without a divine paddle. Now they must build a life—a real one.

Although their divinity is gone, their soul and courage remain. But mortal life is so frustrating! As the four ex-goddesses struggle to find friendship, love, and purpose, mortals get in the way. Sexy mortals. Obnoxious mortals. And dangerous ones. Before they have a chance to get a handle on the whole mortality thing, their lives take an unexpected turn with an epic decision. One with deadly consequences.

Review

Contemporary meets Mythology.
Goddess Inc. will make us all believe that Gods and Goddesses walk among us!

Goddesses Inc. is four “demoted” goddesses who had to find a way to “live on” in the mortal world after being deemed as “redundant.” These now ex-goddesses did not see the demotion coming and were ejected from FEM (Female Energy Macrocosm) immediately. It was what anyone being “fired” would go through – every privilege revoked, frozen, blocked, or inaccessible upon exit of the FEM building.

Told through multiple perspectives, each characters’ voices were clear, easy to relate to, and unique. Their voices and perspectives match the ex-goddesses‘ powers and virtues, even after being stripped of their divinity. The writing is honest, “humbling,” and, at times, raw. Each character learns on their own what needs to be done while at the same time, pulls the support of the other demoted goddesses for physical and emotional support.

The saying “when one door closes, another door opens” runs true to the story. These goddesses had to go through a lot of internal reflection, self-discovery and find that inner strength to go through the “next phase” of their mortal lives. It was heartbreaking at first since these goddesses never had to worry about human problems like money and mortality. Some of them went through a few “weak moments” in the book. But with conviction and not succumbing to self-pity, each one pushed and overcame these “dark emotions.”

Ritual connected them to the sacred, to the mindfulness, to renewal.
— Goddesses Inc, Autumn Bardot

Their excitement, passion, and determination in their new journeys “sparkled” through the pages as each starts finding ways to be “relevant” again. I was thrilled with delight as these characters grow, develop, and shine. Each goddess seems to excel in something that they did not realize until someone pointed it out to them or hired on the spot! It is a fantastic sight when it happens – a renewed hope that things are looking up for them. The author did justice in “job-placing” each goddess into jobs that were more prolific to the respective characters.

This blood would make her a better person. It would ground her, make her feel empathy in ways she never did before.
— Goddesses Inc, Autumn Bardot

This book will treat Mythology fans because it talks about goddesses not commonly referred to in most stories. These goddesses are still important to discover or rediscover. There are many connections made between art and mythology. The author’s love of the arts mixed with mythology is evident in each goddess’s conversations. Readers will enjoy (and love) the connections, traditions, and beliefs shared in the book, if not be enthralled with its origins.

Creativity is an enigma.
Art is gold. An artist speaks through his hands. Art is humankind’s greatest gift.
— Goddesses Inc, Autumn Bardot

I love the plot twists intertwined in the goddesses’ lives and intersected midway through the book – mystery, suspense, drama, “big choices,” and love. It dived deep into what every person would want, human or “others,” to “feel,” remembered, and with a purpose. Although each ex-goddess contributed to helping solve their problems, it is from their internal reflections that they found “the answer” all along. They each discover their worth and influence unto the mortal world that is far more immeasurable than the deity world can offer. Their connections, mortal or otherwise, and the uncertainty of time is what makes life worth living.
Kudos / big applause to the author for her philosophical and spiritual points all over the book! Wonderfully weaved a complex plot, conflict, and resolution, the story will gut and shock readers, but the best part had to be the ending with all the revelations!

“The choices we made were a hundred percent goddess.”
— Goddesses Inc, Autumn Bardot

In summary, Goddesses Inc. is an empowering book about second chances, women support, and rediscovery from not only one but four strong, resilient and determined female protagonists. This theme is appropriate and current – wherein we have and the limitations we are now faced. I love this book a lot since I saw myself in their position at various times of my life, and it invigorated me in ways that I forgot. The highs of new, rediscovered, and reinvigorated passions are the best motivators of reinvention. The author gets the theme very well and successfully executes this in each of the goddesses’ scenes. This book will make readers realize that no matter what stage in your life you are at, there is always room to reinvent, reinvigorate and redesign your life. Take a chance for a change and adapt to the times. You are the authors of your lives, and you face forward with the change.

About the Author

Autumn Bardot is a multi-genre author who writes stories about fearless women and dangerous passions. She has taught literary analysis and writing for almost twenty years. This year Autumn is a presenter at the Historical Novel Society conference. Autumn was the featured author on Stoya’s Book Club; has an article on BooksbyWomen.org; and was a guest speaker on several podcasts, library panels, and writing clubs. Autumn is currently writing her next novel and posting informational videos on her YouTube channel.

Autumn has a passion for history and a special affinity for the unsung courageous females that history neglects or misunderstands. She lives in Southern California with her husband and ever-growing family. She wishes she was one-tenth as brave as the women she writes about.

Autumn also writes as LZ Marie.

GIVEAWAY ALERT

In celebration of the release of Goddess Inc, a giveaway is being run!
Up for grabs is a $20 Amazon gift card!
This Blitz-wide giveaway is open internationally so head-on to Rafflecopter here to join.
Good luck!