The Demigod Diaries By: Rick Riordan

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• Title: The Demigod Diaries (The Heroes of Olympus)
• Author: Rick Riordan
• Publisher: Hyperion Books
• Publication Date:  August 14, 2012 
• Pages: 256
• Genre: Fantasy
• Recommended Age(s): 9+
• First Read: 2015
• Source: Purchase 
• Rating: 5.0 / 5.0 stars

These types of books are probably some of my favorites in the entire Percy Jackson and the Olympians/Heroes of Olympus Series because they provide the most interesting backstories on the characters. 

This particular volume includes short stories on Percy and Annabeth, right after the Battle of Manhattan, as seen in The Last Olympian, as well as a story from Thalia and Luke from when they were still on the run. Additionally, there is an interesting interview with George and Martha, Hermes' snakes, and even an adventure with Leo, Jason, Piper, and a bunch of crazy Maenads who just want to party. 

Every single one of these stories was absolutely fascinating because I got to glimpse a little of what my favorite heroes were doing in their *free* time. It was really nice just seeing Percy and Annabeth together, attempting to have a nice day, and getting some of that classic Percy first person POV that I've kind of missed while I've been reading the Heroes of Olympus series. I thought that Luke's adventure with Thalia was especially eye-opening and I got a little sad, reading about Luke and seeing what might have been if things had gone in Luke's favor. And of course Leo's story was absolutely hilarious and I just couldn't stop imagining him and his friends getting into even more entertaining trouble!

The last story in this book is actually by Haley Riordan, Rick Riordan's son, who actually inspired Rick to write down the original Percy Jackson series after Rick ran out of the original Greek myths to tell his son. I thought it was great for Rick to debut his son's writing, because Haley's story, called "The Son of Magic" was by far my favorite story in the entire collection. It certainly was darker and grittier than his father's style of writing, but it was nonetheless fantastic. Haley addresses questions that I'm sure many of us have had about various aspects of the demigod world, like what's up with The Mist? And what happened to all the kids who were on Kronus' side during the war? 

I recommend reading this book after finishing the entire Percy Jackson and the Olympians series and after the first Heroes of Olympus book, The Lost Hero, so that you are up to speed on everything that is happening. But regardless of when you really end up reading this book, you sure will not be disappointed!

Percy Jackson and the Olympians: The Titan's Curse By: Rick Riordan

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• Title: The Titan's Curse (Percy Jackson and the Olympians #3)
• Author: Rick Riordan
• Publisher: Disney Hyperion
• Publication Date:  April 8, 2008 (2007) 
• Pages: 320
• Genre: Fantasy
• Recommended Age(s): 9+
• First Read: 2008
• Source: Purchase
• Rating: 5.0 / 5.0 stars

Well here we are. Halfway through the series, and I'm as hooked as ever to this world I've become entrenched in.

The titan war is brewing ever closer and it's all Percy and his friends can do to keep the Titans from rising and monsters from killing them. But they do have more help: Thalia, Nico, Zoe, and Bianca all join Percy and Grover to save Annabeth. Can they do it and still stop the Titans from rising?

Hands down this is my favorite book in the series because all of my favorite characters are finally together in one amazing book. I can't bring myself to describe in words just how much this book encapsulates all of my feelings.

But I'm going to try.

Think of your favorite Christmas present or Hanukkah present or birthday present, whatever, then multiply that feeling you had when you first opened it by about ten, and you have an idea of how I felt when I read this book for the first time. And everything I read this book over again, I get that feeling.

The plot of this is simply amazing, and this is the first time that Riordan really pulls on my heart strings by not giving everyone a happy ending But it's understandable; the Titan War is almost upon them, Percy and his friends are maturing, it would be counter-productive if nothing pivotal happened.

So Zoe is hands down my favorite character of all time. She is the sassiest immoral teenager ever and has the perfect job description: a hunter of Artemis. The first time I read this book, I told myself that I wished I was a hunter too, and this wish hasn't yet stopped. Combine this with ominous prophecies, impending world doom, and blue food, and you have the perfect formula for an amazing demigod adventure!

The Sea of Monsters By: Rick Riordan

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• Title: The Sea of Monsters (Percy Jackson and the Olympians #2)
• Author: Rick Riordan
• Publisher: Disney Hyperion
• Publication Date:  April 1, 2007 (2006) 
• Pages: 288
• Genre: Fantasy
• Recommended Age(s): 9+
• First Read: 2008
• Source: Purchase
• Rating: 5.0 / 5.0 stars

Percy Jackson and his friends are not normal teenagers. For one, thirteen year old boys usually don't carry swords in their pockets that morph into pens. And it's definitely not normal to have a half-goat boy for a best friend and a Greek god for a dad. But that's the world Percy and his friends find themselves in, and they sure have a heck of a lot of adventures involving nothing short of *almost* certain death.

But it's all in a day's work, right?

Just like The Lightning Thief, this second installment in the Percy Jackson series is chock full of adventure and sassy comebacks that are sure to leave you with a smile, if not a groan exasperation. One of my favorite things about this book-and the series in general-is its ability to make even the direst of situations comical by slipping in an innocuous seeming comment that turns into the most hilarious thing in the entire book. I also like how Percy and his friends reach way outside of heir comfort zone-like in another country outside-in order to complete their quest. Sailing into monster infested waters isn't quite what many consider a *normal* day, if  you know what I'm saying! The fact that Rick Riordan also finds a way to weave a thousands of year old story into a kick-ass modern ale blows my mind. Maybe he should have been in that weaving test with Athena, and left Arachne in the dust. Ha. Get it?

*crickets*

Nobody? Ok.

And the word we're all looking for here is Anyway...

I don't think I have to say anymore. This book definitely exceeds my expectations and keeps the story going in such a way that I felt as if I didn't miss a single thing about the lives of any of the characters. Annabeth, Grover, and a few fresh faces are all here waiting for you, so be sure to pick this up, or Zeus might just smite you with his thunderbolt!

The Lightning Thief By: Rick Riordan

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• Title: The Lightning Thief  (Percy Jackson and the Olympians #1)
• Author: Rick Riordan
• Publisher: Disney Hyperion
• Publication Date:  March 1,2006 (2005) 
• Pages: 377
• Genre: Fantasy
• Recommended Age(s): 9+
• First Read: 2008
• Source: Purchase
• Rating: 5.0 / 5.0 stars

This is one of those books that I regretted not picking up earlier because it has become one of my favorite book series. 

Percy is not what you'd call a model kid. He has ADHD, so he's not what you'd call quiet, and  he's been kicked out of schools in New York faster than his mother can find new ones for him. And there's the fact that strange things seem to happen around Percy...

I fell in love with book. I had never before read about a main character who has had the spunk of Percy. Percy's witty and sarcastic first person point of view is what really sold me with this book because the guy is so freaking sassy. Even in the most dire moments, when he's about to be, oh I don't know, be eaten by a monster, he's still mouthing off and it's just amazing.

I think I liked this series so much because it incorporated Greek mythology in a way that I had never experienced before. I was that kid who loved-and I still do-all the Greek myths so I pretty much memorized them all. So you can just imagine how happy I was when I finally picked this up. Not only were the characters in the ancient stories given new life, but the main characters-who are just regular kids themselves (well other than being demi-gods obviously) were so relatable. I could see a bit of myself in each of them and I think that's what I good book should do to a reader.

Riordan concocted the perfect mix, not only in this book, but in the entire series as well: Greek mythology, sassiness, adventure, and characters who you can't help and fall in love with. I just can't see why anyone would not like this.

As for me? If I had an Olympian parent (though I do love both my parents, don't get me wrong!) I would choose to be daughter of Athena, goddess of wisdom!

Who will you be, hero?

Maia and Icarus By: James A. Perez

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• Title: Maia and Icarus
• Author: James A. Perez
• Publisher: Barrow Court Books
• Publication Date: August 1, 2013
• Pages: 200
• Genre: Middle Grade, Greek Mythology
• Recommended Ages: 10-13 
• First Read: 2014
• Source: Goodreads Giveaway
• Rating: 3.0 / 5.0 stars

Maia and Icarus is a delightful little read that incorporates one of my favorite subjects, Greek mythology. Maia is at the center of the book, having never known her father and finding out that she is half Greek. With this revelation, she travels to Greece to (hopefully) find out more about her past. She gets more than she bargains for when she realizes that the stories of Greek myth are very much alive. Various adventures ensue with a dashing young Icarus, in the world of the gods that leaves Maia with the experience of a lifetime.

The plot line of this novel has a lot of potential in the fact that numerous elements of mythology can be further developed into a deftly woven story line that incorporates the many aspects that this book is based on. I feel that if the book went more into depth about the origins of a lot of the Greek aspects, then the world would feel more believable.

Also, although I did get to know Maia quite well, I did not quite get to delve into the other character's personalities as I would have liked, particularly Icarus. Oh, Icarus. He is a character that I felt that I should have gotten to know better. I barely knew anything about him other than he had a dashing smile and his father was the famous Daedalus. I also felt that I did not have enough interactions with that of Maia's Greek family, other than Uncle Dorian, Helena, and Grandmother.

I know that this is the first book in a new series and that Maia has a lot of secrets that she has yet to find out, but I wanted a more concrete base in which to ground the first book in a brand new world. Maia and the reader are finding out new information at the same time, but it would have been a little helpful to have a little background information on Maia's family, especially her father. But I suppose that that is the fun in finding out at the same time, right?

I genuinely do enjoy this book and eagerly await the next installment of Maia's adventures. I cannot wait to find out more about this new world of Greek mythology that the author has created and hope that Icarus makes another appearance in addition to a deeper level of character development.