October 2023 – My Book Reviews

Gone Dark

Gone Dark

Amanda Panitch

Published April 12, 2022

Read October 22-31, 2023

3.5 out of 5 stars

Summary: When seventeen-year-old Zara escaped her father’s backwoods survivalist compound five years ago, she traded crossbows and skinning hides for electricity and video games…and tried to forget the tragedy that drove her away.

Until a malware attack on the United States electrical grids cuts off the entire country’s power.In the wake of the disaster and the chaos that ensues, Zara is forced to call upon skills she thought she’d never use again—and her best bet to survive is to go back to the home she left behind. Drawing upon a resilience she didn’t know she had, Zara leads a growing group of friends on an epic journey across a crumbling country back to her father’s compound, where their only hope for salvation lies.

But with every step she takes, Zara wonders if she truly has what it takes to face her father and the secrets of her past, or if she’d be better off hiding in the dark.

My Review: The idea of Gone Dark was not one I have seen heavily written about. It is a very interesting topic and I would like to see more on the idea. As a whole it was a good story!

I think Zara’s character development was some of the greatest I have read. She really is a different person between the beginning of the book and the end of the book! It was done gradually too, which I appreciate. My one big thing with her is the underestimates her group of people and thinks she is the only one able to do anything. She is a little whiney about it at times, so I didn’t appreciate that as much.

Plot, again, I loved it. The one thing (this isn’t really a complaint) I would have liked to see more world building. How does the US relate to the rest of the world? What is the social and economical stances? I think this could have advanced the plot and really shown if the US was isolated because it has bad worldly standings or if there was a big difference between upper, middle, and lower class. Though the ending with Zara’s father was great!

Writing style was a little weak. My biggest pro with it was the short chapter, which I LOVED! Otherwise, I had some problems. Zara continuisly brought up her father and what he would say and think, but then state she didn’t care. Then why would you bring him up in the first place? As well as the romantic subplot. I love those subplots but it was mentioned once, and then there was no development before it just became the thing. I wanted more tension, development, Zara to be a little awkward because she wasn’t how to sort through her feelings.Not a bad book, just some things I would have liked to see differently. For the story I recommend it, but for the writing I would be hesitant to tell someone to read it.

-Nina

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A Good Girls Guide to Murder

A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder

Holly Jackson

Published May 2, 2019

Read October 12-19, 2023

3.5 out of five stars

Summary: The case is closed. Five years ago, schoolgirl Andie Bell was murdered by Sal Singh. The police know he did it. Everyone in town knows he did it.

But having grown up in the same small town that was consumed by the murder, Pippa Fitz-Amobi isn’t so sure. When she chooses the case as the topic for her final year project, she starts to uncover secrets that someone in town desperately wants to stay hidden. And if the real killer is still out there, how far will they go to keep Pip from the truth?

My Review: I wasn’t sure how well this book was going to go over because it isn’t usually my type of book. And I was right, it wasn’t. I don’t think this was a bad book. If you like murder mysteries cold case podcasts, and stuff like that, then you will love this book. If you don’t usually like those types of things, then this book probably isn’t for you.

At the beginning of the book, it was great! It was interesting, fast-paced, and overall pretty good. As I got to the middle it got slow and boring. It was almost like being in the Twilight Zone. I felt like I was rereading the same few pages over and over. Then once you got two-thirds through the book, it all of a sudden got really interesting. I’m not sure it is a book I would ever read again but it also isn’t one I would tell people it’s not worth reading.

The character development was amazing though! One of the main characters really emerged from his shell throuought the investigation and the story. Living in both the past and present really advanced his story and I would consider reading the rest of the series to see him continue to evolve. The protagonist of the story pushes along the plot as well as her development. So much of the story was wrapped around her development. All of the minor characters (who I could name) were also very moveable characters. I loved it.

The writing was very well done! I thought much of the writing really attributed to certain moods added to the story. At many of times, it was the way that Jackson manipulated the words that pushed the story. I absolutely loved Jackson’s writing.

Overall, an amazing book but the story was all right. I do recommend the book for people who like cold case stories, otherwise, I would just look at its development and writing and move on.

-Nina

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Percy Jackson and the Chalice of the Gods (Book six in Percy Jackson and the Olympians)

The Chalice of the Gods (Percy Jackson and the Olympians, #6)

Percy Jackson and the Chalice of the Gods

Rick Riordan

Published September 26, 2023

Read October 7-11, 2023

5 out of 5 stars

Summary: After saving the world multiple times, Percy Jackson is hoping to have a normal senior year. Unfortunately, the gods aren’t quite done with him. Percy will have to fulfill three quests in order to get the necessary three letters of recommendation from Mount Olympus for college.

The first quest is to help Zeus’s cup-bearer retrieve his goblet before it falls into the wrong hands. Can Percy, Grover, and Annabeth find it in time?

My Review: First off I have a bone to pick with Amazon. I preordered this book back in August. I waited for the day it was released. The day came and…

My book didn’t ship. I waited two more days, but still nothing. I ended up waiting two weeks, and nothing. Finally, I canceled the order and reordered the book it cost $5.35 less and came in two days later. Really Amazon! So I got a late start to this book I was going to read it at the end of September but here we are.

This book was the perfect ode to everything that has happened before. From the opening line to the last one, it was peppered with references from all the Percy Jackson books and even Heroes of Olympus. PJO fans beware, you will cry. (At least I did.)

The characters were just the same as you remember, but somehow Rick still finds some character development to pull out of the hat. Letting Percy grow up from a teenager to truly a young adult ready for college. (Not that Annabeth isn’t but she’s always been the mature one!) Grover is learning how to accept his life and his friends’ lives with the direction they’re going. He realizes that the Fates will always have them tied together and it truly made me smile, (and cry happy tears.)

Writing wise it was a blast from the past! The chapter titles, the narrator, the Persassy jokes! (Yes I just referenced that if you get it you get it!) We get old jokes and new versions of old jokes. Some amazing Percabeth content that OMG I’M IN LOVE WITH THESE TWO!!!! It was like no time had passed (writing-wise, not book time) since the Last Olympian and The Chalice of the Gods.

The plot and story really felt like a Percy Jackson book, not Heroes of Olympus, but Grover-in-a-wedding dress. He always starts in school and ends with some bitter-sweet moment. I threw in some twists and turns. And turned this story right back to the ‘good old days’ I don’t want to say too much story-wise since this book is still pretty recent and I don’t want to give any huge spoilers, but the cover does make sense after you read it.

I could sit here all day going on and on but I think you get my point. Rick, it truly was another masterpiece we were all waiting on. I am so happy to see Percy Jackson and the Olympians take up a little more room on my bookshelf with one more book. And I can’t wait for the seventh book to come next year.

-Nina

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Camp Half-Blood Confidential: Your Real Guide to the Demigod Training Camp (The Complete History of Concrete)

Camp Half-Blood Confidential: Your Real Guide to the Demigod Training Camp

Rick Riordan

Published May 2, 2017

Read October 1-4, 2023

4 out of 5 stars

Summary: In response to an awful camp orientation video created by the god Apollo, Percy Jackson and other residents of Camp Half-Blood answer such questions as “What is this place?” and “Do I get to keep the T-shirt?” Newbies can check out the section on the Divine Cabins, read up on Magical Landmarks, and consult the chapter on Training Arenas. But Camp Half-Blood Confidential explores much more than just the buildings and grounds. It includes info that can only be learned from those who live there.

For instance, campers do not always co-exist in peace and harmony. The camp is not run with superior efficiency. Prophecies do not flow forth with great regularity. Sprinkled throughout are stories from heroes who have called Camp Half-Blood home or just passed through on their way to places unknown. Chiron himself introduces the book with a brief history of training based on his millennia of experience. And, of course, there are divine words of wisdom from the god Apollo himself, because . . . well, because the demigod authors would prefer not to be struck down, thank you very much.

My Review: This book is hilarious! It isn’t necessary reading for the Riordanverse Percy Jackson or even the Trial of Apollo. But if you’re looking for something entertaining to read in the realm of Percy Jackson I highly recommend this book.

It is much less of a book than an actual manual and it’s done so well. You get to hear from Annabeth, Percy, Nico, Will, Chiron, Apollo, Grover, Coach Hedge, and other characters that you haven’t even gotten to meet yet.

There isn’t much for me to say about this book because it’s not your normal read, but it’s a very good book!

-Nina

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Ethan Frome

Edith Wharton

Published January 1, 1911

Read September 14-29, 2023

0.5 out of 5 stars

Summary: Ethan Frome works his unproductive farm and struggles to maintain a bearable existence with his difficult, suspicious, and hypochondriac wife, Zeena. But when Zeena’s vivacious cousin enters their household as a hired girl, Ethan finds himself obsessed with her and with the possibilities for happiness, she comes to represent.

My Review: The fact that this was a book for school my hopes were low. And I’m glad I put them there, it was truly a horrible book! I kept waiting for something to happen and it never did! It wasn’t really until the last two chapters that the story got good. The ending was so stupid (though I won’t spoil it.)

The characters are completely unchanging. Zeena is as useless at the end as she is in the beginning. Though I won’t give you my whole paper to explain it. Ethan can’t do anything and just fantasizes things in his head. Like really! And Mattie is just this naive girl who giggles and flutters her eyes at everything if that doesn’t work? Cry, just start crying!

The writing style was difficult to understand, in the beginning and end, you have a narrator, but then in the middle, you never know if it’s in the past tense or present tense, or present tense but something that has already happened. I found myself rereading the chapter to try and understand what was happening and when. The story was so boring that keeping my eyes open was also a struggle.

Maybe I’m just not someone who can get into classical books, but this one really was a struggle. I do not recommend it, there are so many other books to read.

-Nina

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Percy Jackson and the Last Olympian (Book five in Percy Jackson and the Olympians series)

The Last Olympian (Percy Jackson and the Olympians, #5)

Percy Jackson and the Last Olympian

Rick Riordan

Published May 5, 2009

Read September 27-30,2023

5 out of 5 stars

Summary: All year the half-bloods have been preparing for battle against the Titans, knowing the odds of victory are grim. Kronos’s army is stronger than ever, and with every god and half-blood he recruits, the evil Titan’s power only grows.

While the Olympians struggle to contain the rampaging monster Typhon, Kronos begins his advance on New York City, where Mount Olympus stands virtually unguarded. Now it’s up to Percy Jackson and an army of young demigods to stop the Lord of Time.

In this momentous final book in the New York Times best-selling series, the long-awaited prophecy surrounding Percy’s sixteenth birthday unfolds. As the battle for Western civilization rages on the streets of Manhattan, Percy faces a terrifying suspicion that he may be fighting against his own fate.

My Review: What an amazing close to the series! Action, adventure, highs and lows, drama, all in one book! It is so amazing! While I was so happy about the ending of this journey, everything worked itself out. It was also beyond heartbreaking. I won’t put any spoilers so just go read the book but if you did, you know what I mean. The end did leave an opening for the story to continue, and that really made me love this. When you know part of the story may be over, not all of it is.

Rick wrote such an amazing book series in such an amazing way. I loved how much so many aspects of different things came into play. And I love that older books were referenced it really brought the series full circle. You got to hear the final prophecy that everyone talks about and it made my heart sing! Truly Rick can write about such dark things and (while still keeping the seriousness of it) bringing it into a better light. I recommend these books for anyone! They truly are some of my favorite now and for the end of time. I’m looking forward to getting my hands on the sixth book, but until then, these books are beyond wonderful!

-Nina

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Percy Jackson and the Battle of the Labyrinth (Book two in Percy Jackson and the Olympians)

The Battle of the Labyrinth (Percy Jackson and the Olympians, #4)

Percy Jackson and the Battle of the Labyrinth

Rick Riordan

Published March 6, 2008

Read September 18-25, 2023

5 out of 5

Summary: Percy Jackson isn’t expecting freshman orientation to be any fun. But when a mysterious mortal acquaintance appears at his potential new school, followed by demon cheerleaders, things quickly move from bad to worse.

In this fourth installment of the blockbuster series, time is running out as war between the Olympians and the evil Titan lord Kronos draws near. Even the safe haven of Camp Half-Blood grows more vulnerable by the minute as Kronos’s army prepares to invade its once impenetrable borders. To stop the invasion, Percy and his demigod friends must set out on a quest through the Labyrinth – a sprawling underground world with stunning surprises at every turn.

My Review: The Battle of the Labyrinth is a heartbreaking book! There were so many things that made me want to just sit and cry at 3 a.m. This book feels like an introduction to book five and I love that. While reading this book you are reminded of where the series started and what the ending will look like. I can’t help but absolutely love this book!

Rick writes all his books with such love and care that you can’t help but fall in love with them. I am such a sucker for his writing and his books. The writing remains light-hearted throuought most of the book. It never gets gorry or gross but you can still understand the scale of pain that is caused without it ever going too deep. He talks about losing people and how to cope in healthy ways without taking away from the story. You could read this book at 12 and understand it, then read it again five or even ten years later and understand it on a deeper level. It is one of those books you can read again and again and take a new lesson from each time. These are some of the reasons I love Rick’s writing and how each of his books is done. The Battle of the Labyrinth is no exception. I highly recommend this book and series to everyone and for every reason. Another amazing book by Mr. Rick Riordan!

-Nina

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