Percy Jackson and the Last Olympian

Rick Riordan

Percy Jackson and the Olympians #5

Summary:

Most people get presents on their sixteenth birthday, I get a prophecy that could save or destroy the world.

It happens when you're the son of Poseidon, god of the Sea. According to an ancient prophecy, I turn sixteen and the fate of the entire world is on me. But no pressure.

Now Kronos, Lord of the Titans, is beginning his attack on New York City. And the dreaded monster Typhon is also heading our way. So it's me and forty of my demigod friends versus untold evil...

In One Word: Brilliant (exceptionally clever)

Plot:

The thing I loved most about this particular installment in this series is the fact that even though it has the most tense and nerve-wracking moments of all the previous books it also had the most humour and funny parts. I really love how the author manages to make you laugh out loud while at the same time making you hold your breath in anticipation for what’s going to happen next (trust me, it’s a really weird feeling, laughing while holding your breath at the same time...you should try it sometime). This book also managed to surprise me, which has not been happening that often lately, so it was pretty exciting that I couldn’t guess what was going to happen next. This also shows that even though it’s a middle-grade book, it isn’t predictable or too simple for older people to enjoy as well.

Characters:

I definitely think that this installment was the best as far as character-development went. Percy becomes a true hero, without completely losing himself and becoming a completely different person. I also liked how Grover went from an insecure, funny guy to a force to be reckoned with. Annabeth didn’t develop that much during this book, but she remains a great character. I also liked Thalia in this installment (if you read my previous review you’ll remember I didn’t like her all that much before), but I really like how she’s changed. Nico is still one of the more interesting characters in my opinion, but I preferred his portrayal in the previous book.

Who should read this:

10+, once again, mild violence, no sexual content or language and if you have problem with mythology, skip this series. If you’re searching for something similar to the first 2/3 books in the Harry Potter series then I definitely suggest these. I don’t think adults will enjoy this as much as younger people, but I do think there's something ageless about this series.

My rating:

This was my favourite book in the series. I loved the action and humor and the storyline and I really liked how the author ended the series, leaving it open enough to make me want to read ‘The Heroes of Olympus’, but not too much so it felt like the series didn’t end at all. 5/5

Quote:

“With great power... comes great need to take a nap. Wake me up later.”

Read my reviews for 'The Lightning Thief', 'The Sea of Monsters', 'The Titan's Curse' and 'The Battle of the Labyrinth'!

Percy Jackson and the Battle of the Labyrinth

Rick Riordan

Percy Jackson and the Olympians #4

Summary: WARNING: Possible spoilers of previous books ahead!

Honestly, blowing up another school was the last thing I wanted to do.

As the son of a Greek god, I’ve had my share of near-death disaster – and now my arch-enemy Luke wants to invade our camp via an ancient labyrinth.

If he succeeds, thousands of bloodthirsty monsters will attack. So it’s goodbye sunshine, hello darkness as four of us descend into the terrifying underground and beyond.

In One Word: Unputdownable

Plot:

These stories are great simply because they’re just so much fun. They’re hilarious, but still exciting and can keep you on the edge of your seat or have you laughing out loud. And even though they’re a lot of fun and very entertaining there are still some scenes that are touching and emotional, without ever becoming too deep for a middle-grade book.

Characters:

These above-mentioned moments really helps the reader connect with the characters. I really like all the characters in this book, but now I’m really starting to get fascinated with Nico di Angelo. He’s a little darker than the other main characters, without being a fully-fledged villian, which is very interesting and not something you see very often. Percy remains a little naive in my opinion, although it is part of his charm, and he really does develop quite a bit during this particular book. Annabeth is still a great character, and I also really like Rachel, who we get to see more in this book. Grover and Tyson remains great characters, who never takes away the spolight from the main character, but is still important enough to make you care for them. All the characters connect really well with each other and nothing feels forced.

Who should read this:

10+, again, some violence, although it is very mild. There is no language or sexual content to speak of. Also again, if the mythological aspect of Greek gods bother you, don’t read this series. If you liked the previous books this one won’t dissappoint, if you didn’t, well don’t read this one...I definitely recommend this to anyone who loves Harry Potter and wants something similar, and this series doesn’t get darker like HP does, so you younger kids can read the entire series back-to-back if you should want to.

My rating:

I absolutely love this series. It’s not going to make my favourites, but it’s very close to it. I enjoy every minute of reading it, and I’m going to start the next one right now. 4.5/5

Quote:

“Don't feel bad, I'm usually about to die.”-Percy Jackson

Read my reviews for 'The Lightning Thief', 'The Sea of Monsters' and 'The Titan's Curse'!

Percy Jackson and the Titan's Curse

Rick Riordan

Percy Jackson and the Olympians #3

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.

In One Word: Exciting

Plot:

While the previous books in this series were really good and entertaining, this one stepped up the action and suspense quite a bit. It had way more surprises and twists than the previous ones and I really enjoyed that about it. Apart from that the author stays very consistent, the writing stays easy to read and humorous and the story stays interesting.

Characters:

There is quite a bit of character growth in this installment. Percy realizes what his fatal flaw is, and also learns to see other people more clearly. I still really like Annabeth and Grover, I think they’re great characters that compliment Percy very well. I did not, however, like Thalia all that much. I’m not sure exactly why, but I kept hoping that she wouldn’t stick around with the main characters. The villians are all pretty scary, but they’re not all completely evil (I think). My favourite part is still the humorous ways of the ‘gods’ (e.g. Apollo’s fascination with Haiku’s ever since he’s gotten back from Japan).

Who should read this:

10+, there’s a little violence, but almost no language and absolutely no sexual content. Again, if you have a problem with the whole mythological aspect of these books then don’t read them. If you enjoyed the previous 2 then I would definitely suggest continuing the series. I don’t think adults would really appreciate this series, but I also feel like older teens can enjoy them.

My rating:

I really enjoyed this book more than the previous ones, but not quite enough to give it 5 stars yet. So 4.5/5.

Quote:

Wow," Thalia muttered. "Apollo is hot."

"He's the sun god," I said.

"That's not what I meant.”

Read my reviews for 'The Lightning Thief' and 'Sea of Monsters'!

The Bancroft Strategy

Robert Ludlum

Summary:

Agent Todd Belknap has been cut loose after an operation goes wrong. When his best friend and fellow agent is abducted, and the government refuses to help, Todd takes matters into his own hands.

Meanwhile, Andrea Newton gets an unexpected call. She has been left a vast inheritance by a cousin she’s never met – on the condition that she joins the board of the charitable Bancroft foundation. Andrea is intrigued, but the foundation appears less and less benign the more deeply involved she gets.

What exactly is their involvement with ‘Genesis’ – a mysterious entity working to destabilise the geopolitical balance at the risk of millions of lives? As events escalate, Todd and Andrea must form an uneasy alliance if they are to uncover the truth – before it’s too late.

Plot:

This is an excellent story. There is mystery and suspense throughout and you really wonder how the author is going to connect all the plot lines together. The different twists mean that you’re never sure what to expect. However, it feels like the author added too many additional little facts that don’t really have anything to do with the story and that makes it all a little complicated. Most of these facts are hard to understand and I found myself just skimming the paragraphs that contained them. I really liked the themes that were explored in this book, especially the parts about the charity foundation trying to change the world, but maybe taking it a little too far.

Characters:

I liked the characters in this book, but it’s a little hard to know who to root for in this story since anyone could be revealed as being a villain. I didn’t fall in love with Andrea or Belknap, but I did root for them and worried when they were in danger. My favourite character is probably Belknap’s friend ‘Reinhart’, but I would’ve liked a little more insight into his character.

Who should read this:

13+, mainly for language as well as pretty graphic descriptions of violence. There is one sexual scene but it’s not graphic at all, merely implied. The story might also be a little complicated for younger readers and like I said, there are many parts that are not necessarily essential to the story that might also be a little hard to understand. If you like a story with some interesting twists and action this might be one you will enjoy.

My rating:

I really liked this story, although some parts bored me. I think it’s a good book, pretty well written, but there’s just too much unnecessary information. However, the ending is totally worth it. 4/5

Quote:

‘There are some acts that are simply heinous in themselves.’

School's Out Forever

James Patterson

Maximum Ride #2

Summary:

The heart-stopping quest of six winged kids--led by fourteen-year-old Max--to find their parents and investigate the mind-blowing mystery of their ultimate destiny continues when they're taken under the wing of an FBI agent and attempt, for the first time, to live "normal" lives. But going to school and making friends doesn't stop them from being relentlessly hunted by sinister spies, who lead Max to face her most frightening match yet: a new and better version of herself.

Plot:

I really enjoyed this sequel. Just like the first one this book was filled with thrilling action sequences, but what I liked about it most was the way the author described the quieter moments between the characters. The story stayed interesting and full of suspense, with many twists and turns, but I liked that it wasn’t just one action-packed fight sequence throughout.

Characters:

The character development in this book was great. I liked the main character's more emotional moments, and I also really enjoy her dry sense of humor. I enjoyed watching the relationships between her and the rest of the flock grow and develop as well. I also liked that the author added some parts from the villains’ perspectives, which just gave a little more depth to him and made him a little easier to understand, and even sympathize with him at times.

Who should read this:

13+, mainly for language and violence, as well as the concept of experimentation on children which is obviously a little disturbing. If you enjoyed the first book you will definitely like this one, if you didn’t don’t bother, it’s not that different. This series is definitely for people who want an action-packed book with great characters that's not too hard to read.

My rating:

I’m not a huge action/adventure story fan, so that’s probably why this series will not be joining my favourites, but I really enjoyed reading this book. 4/5.

Quote:

I hoped I wasn’t truly dead. That would make finding our parents and saving the world really hard.

Read my review for the first book 'The Angel Experiment' here!

The Angel Experiment

James Patterson

Maximum Ride #1

Summary:

Six unforgettable kids—with no families, no homes—are running for their lives. Max Ride and her best friends have the ability to fly. And that's just the beginning of their amazing powers. But they don't know where they come from, who's hunting them, why they are different from all other humans... and if they're meant to save mankind—or destroy it.

Plot:

I thought this was a great story with an original and intriguing plot. I liked the narration and the writing style, it was unique and quirky. There was a bit of suspense, but I guessed some of the ‘surprise’ twists before they happened, which didn’t make the book bad, but i would’ve liked some more moments that surprised me completely.

Characters:

I definitely like the characters in this book. They’re unique and original (not just because they’re mutants with wings and superpowers), but I didn’t connect with any of them or feel emotional about them. I would like to read more about Fang in the next installments, he is the most interesting in my opinion.

Who should read this:

12+, there’s some language and mild violence, also the whole ‘experimenting on kids’ things might be disturbing for some readers. I like the fact that this book is not aimed towards a specific gender, I think both boys and girls will enjoy it. If you want a YA book that’s quick and easy and exciting to read, you might like this. Just don’t expect something profound.

My rating:

I enjoyed this book, I went into it without any expectations and without even knowing what it was about and I really liked reading it. There were, however, some things that could’ve been better. 3/5

Quote:

“The funny thing about facing imminent death is that it really snaps everything else into perspective.”

Honour Among Thieves

Jeffrey Archer

Summary:

Who would pay a billion dollars to humiliate America?

The time, 1993. The place, Washington DC. Of the adversaries in the Gulf War, the sole survivor is Saddam Hussein. And Saddam is planning a revenge so diabolical that the United States will be left with no choice but to retaliate.

Plot:

As anyone who’s read an Archer novel knows, he is a master storyteller. This book started off a little slow, but picked up the pace quite early in the story. And what a story! It will terrify and amaze you. I loved the action and the suspense in this book. Also, Archer almost always adds a twist to his endings so expect the unexpected! The story of this book was fascinating and thrilling.

Characters:

Archer rarely writes a story about characters, but rather uses characters to make the story work. His plot always comes first. This book contains a lot of characters, each important to the story as a whole. Although they aren’t the main focus Archer manages to make them human and unique, earn our sympathy, dislike and even hate. The fact that some of these people were/are real makes it all the more interesting. It gives a sense of authenticity to the story.

Who should read this?

13+, not because of the content, although there are some mature content and violence, but younger readers will probably find this book boring and hard to understand, since it is quite complex. Also, if you prefer simple, light reading this is not the book for you. Any fans of Archer’s should definitely read this, as well as fans of John Grisham and Robert Ludlum.

My rating:

This was a very good book with an excellent ending, but a little confusing here and there. I’ll give it a 4/5.