I have decided to change the format of the book reviews in a way I can only describe as just typing what comes to mind and trying to organize it. I may still use the old format sometimes but that is what I am going to try for now.
On another note, I am also looking at the possibility of moving sites. I don’t know what I’m going to find so I’m not entirely sure and I will keep you posted on this. But if in the next coming months, you notice that there is a new notification that says I have moved sites now you know!
Summary: It’s not every day you find yourself in combat with a half-lion, half-human.
But when you’re the son of a Greek god, it happens. And now my friend Annabeth is missing, a goddess is in chains and only five half-blood heroes can join the quest to defeat the doomsday monster.
Oh, and guess what? The Oracle has predicted that not all of us will survive…
My Review: I love the way that Rick writes each of these books. He begins by introducing his new characters and setting the basic plot for the story. He introduces the problem and ties in old books. When he introduces each problem he introduces the solution just not in the way that you think, leaving you on the edge of your seat to know if it all works out. While he writes his book he constructs these characters who stay very true to themselves. All of them are very identifiable characters and you can just read a line with no context and figure out what character said it. They are so well written it truly isn’t anything to think about.
During the first few chapters, you are introduced to a prophecy that is used to guide the rest of the book. Rick stays true to this prophecy, sometimes taking the obvious route, while other times coming up with something unimaginable that works so well for the story. As each problem is solved a new one comes up and he is able to weave a beautiful story.
By the end of the book, you are graced with this new story, but it is also obvious that there is more to come. You know that it is only a part of the story that has been planned. This book in itself was written for preteens, but as I grow up and reread it, I see a new layer each time. Each book and line means something different to me, making a tapestry with each new line. I highly recommend this book and hope that I can continue to read more of Rick’s mythology-based books.
Summary: The heroic son of Poseidon makes an action-packed comeback in the second must-read installment of Rick Riordan’s amazing young readers series. Starring Percy Jackson, a “half blood” whose mother is human and whose father is the God of the Sea, Riordan’s series combines cliffhanger adventure and Greek mythology lessons that results in true page-turners that get better with each installment. In this episode, The Sea of Monsters, Percy sets out to retrieve the Golden Fleece before his summer camp is destroyed, surpassing the first book’s drama and setting the stage for more thrills to come.
My Review: This book is my least favorite book in the Percy Jackson series, and it was an absolutely amazing book! So that says something about this series and just Rick Riordan in general.
During this book, we see Percy really begin to grow up. He truly begins to understand who he is and what he means to the world. He also begins to see how dangerous his world can be. Annabeth also begins to see how dangerous the world can be. She realizes why she wasn’t just sent on quests every other day before. We also see a lot of growth from Clarisse, she really begins to grow into less of a bully (though she still is) and more into a hero.
The plot is a little on the weak side. I have read this book before and just about every time I read it I am reminded by things that happen in this book. The only memorable thing about this book is Tyson and Grover in a wedding dress. I wish we could have seen more from this book.
The writing style of this book was AMAZING! Percy as a narrator is just hilarious! He is so funny and so amazing at keeping you on the edge of your seat! I have so much respect for Rick Riordan for being able to write a book that honestly feels like it is being narrated by a thirteen-year-old kid. It is difficult to do and Rick did it SO WELL!
Honestly just a very well-done book! I can’t wait to see the new PJO book at the end of the month. And I can’t wait to continue writing my reviews for this series. It truly is fantastic!
For those of you who don’t know, at the end of the month (September 26,) Rick Riordan (who is my absolute favorite author,) is releasing a new book in the Percy Jackson series (my second favorite book series ever!) Because of this I am putting my TBR list on hold and rereading the Percy Jackson series as a refresher. Though this is my first time putting reviews for this book up, it is not my first time reading this series. So parts of the reviews may reference future books and that’s why. I will still be posting these reviews, and by the middle of October, I will be back with some new books. But for right now that is the plan! You can stay updated with my TBR list, books I’m currently reading (and how far along I am,) and books I have already read this year over on my Goodreads!
Summary: Percy Jackson is a good kid, but he can’t seem to focus on his schoolwork or control his temper. And lately, being away at boarding school is only getting worse – Percy could have sworn his pre-algebra teacher turned into a monster and tried to kill him. When Percy’s mom finds out, she knows it’s time that he knew the truth about where he came from, and that he go to the one place he’ll be safe. She sends Percy to Camp Half Blood, a summer camp for demigods (on Long Island), where he learns that the father he never knew is Poseidon, God of the Sea. Soon a mystery unfolds and together with his friends—one a satyr and the other the demigod daughter of Athena – Percy sets out on a quest across the United States to reach the gates of the Underworld (located in a recording studio in Hollywood) and prevent a catastrophic war between the gods.
My Review: First off, let me just say that this is one of my absolute favorite books, from one of my absolute favorite series! I love Percy Jackson, I love Rick Riordan, and all his books! This has to be the seventh or eight time I have read this book. The story is so amazing! I absolutely love everything about it and this review is an excuse to tell you why you should read this book!
First, is character development. You have three main characters, Percy, Annabeth, and Grover who set out on a quest for one reason or another. (Trying to avoid spoilers here!) In the beginning of this our main man Percy, is very hesitant about this world that he is dropped into. It goes against a lot of what he was taught and doesn’t really make any sense to his twelve-year-old brain. Throughout the book, he fights monsters and gods and unravels a prophecy. He begins to understand what his world is and how he plays a part in it. As the reader finishes the book you understand how far Percy has come and how this will play into the future. Annabeth is a very strong character, both literally and figuratively. She is the anchor to a lot of the scenes. She helps get others out of trouble and always is ready to do what needs to be done. Though at the beginning of the book she has a very particular idea of Percy, and as the book progresses those thoughts change. It is a heartwarming friendship that is able to develop through this. I absolutely love Grover and he is an amazing character. Though I don’t think in this book he really had as much growth as the other characters, but that’s okay.
The plot was brilliant. I loved the way that Rick was able to take old Greek myths and spin them into something with a modern twist. He kept so much of the original source material and created a whole new story through it. I loved how he wrote it with plans for something larger. You can tell in the first book that more is going to come from Percy, Annabeth, and maybe even Grover!
The writing style is the greatest thing on this planet!! The narrator (Percy) is so perfect! He is able to narrate everything so it is an amazing story, while still keeping it funny. In a few of the scenes, it gets a little more serious and Rick does that so well! My favorite part about the writing though is the way that Rick writes it like it is a twelve-year-old boy writing this. That is something that I didn’t like with Harry Potter and how it didn’t sound like it was done by a kid. But while Rick did it so well, it never got to the point that it was kidified. It was still a very good book for all ages while staying true to the world that Rick created.
All and all one of the greatest books I have read, but it’s still not my top favorite book in this series, and that’s saying something!
Summary: Every seven years, the Agon begins. As punishment for a past rebellion, nine Greek gods are forced to walk the earth as mortals, hunted by the descendants of ancient bloodlines, all eager to kill a god and seize their divine power and immortality. Long ago, Lore Perseous fled that brutal world after her family’s sadistic murder by a rival line, turning her back on the hunt’s promises of eternal glory. For years she’s pushed away any thought of revenge against the man–now a god–responsible for their deaths.
Yet as the next hunt dawns over New York City, two participants seek out her help: Castor, a childhood friend of Lore believed long dead, and a gravely wounded Athena, among the last of the original gods.
The goddess offers an alliance against their mutual enemy and, at last, a way for Lore to leave the Agon behind forever. But Lore’s decision to bind her fate to Athena’s and rejoin the hunt will come at a deadly cost and may not be enough to stop the rise of a new god with the power to bring humanity to its knees.
My Review: I was a little worried about reading this book because I saw so many bad reviews online, but I absolutely loved this story!
The character development was so amazing! In the beginning, Lore is motivated to stay out of the fight but is very revenge-motivated. By the end of the book she really came full circle to herself and it was an amazing storyline. All the other characters like Van and Miles had such a beautiful story with the way both of them really opened up into every new situation. And Castor showed such depth throughout the book. And the way that Athena plays into the plot really had me on the edge of my seat. It’s not every day that you see all the main characters have such amazing development.
The plot was an amazing twist on the old classics. I loved seeing the way that Bracken took old stories and made them come alive in the pages of the book. There are many mythology twists that I think overpower the original story, instead of complementing it. In my opinion, it is a very hard thing to do and Bracken did it so well. She brought in the gods and the heroes to the story while never making anything too watered down.
The writing style was not the cleverest I’ve seen. I think there were places we could have benefitted from a dual POV or leaving bits of details out in places to get over the humps of the boring parts. I think Bracken did do some of that leaving details out. I just wish we could have seen more of it. All in all, though, it only lost a half point.
Overall, an amazing book that I would highly recommend to anyone who likes Greek mythology, you will love this book. But even to people who don’t like mythology you still may love this book. I highly recommend it goes on your TBR list.
