You shall go west, and face the god who has turned, You shall find what was stolen, and see it safely returned, You shall be betrayed by one who calls you a friend, And you shall fail to save what matters most, in the end.
The Lightning Thief is the beginning to one of my favorite series of all time. It's fresh and action packed to the core; with characters - both main and supporting - that you'll find yourself loving, and a fresh take on Greek mythology to excite even those with no prior knowledge on the topic...all with a sprinkle of humor on top.
My name is Percy Jackson. I'm twelve years old. Until a few months ago, I was a boarding student at Yancy Academy, a private school for troubled kids in upstate New York. Am I a troubled kid? Yeah. You could say that.
Percy Jackson keeps getting attacked by monsters that seem to be coming right out of his Greek mythology textbook. When his mom realizes this, she says it's time to take him to Camp Half-Blood. This, Percy discovers, is not your ordinary camp. It's a camp specifically for demigods - offsprings of humans and Greek gods.
Annabeth nodded. “Your father isn’t dead, Percy. He’s one of the Olympians.” “That’s...crazy.” “Is it? What’s the most common thing gods did in the old stories? They ran around falling in love with humans and having kids with them. Do you think they’ve changed their habits in the last few millennia?”
Percy soon discovers that his supposedly absentee father is actually Poesiden, the Greek god of the sea. As if that's not enough, Zeus' master lightning bolt has been stolen, and Percy is the prime suspect, and it's up to Percy to find and return it, or risk starting a catastrophic war between the gods...
The characters introduced here are fantastic. Percy is a bit obtuse, but extremely loyal and brave with a sense of humor that will make you smile even in the darkest of situations. While Annabeth has a bit of a mysterious aura in this particular novel, her intelligence and expertise in battle prove invaluable to the quest, and I can't wait to watch her really mature and come into her own in the following books. Grover's a bit of a third wheel, but provides great comedic relief when needed.
The myths are included into the story wonderfully, while not being overly preachy or giving too little information. Riordan somehow manages to incorporate all these myths accurately into a plotline, while still adding his signature humor throughout.
"Another time, Athena and Poseidon competed to be the patron god for the city of Athens. Your dad created some stupid saltwater spring for his gift. My mom created the olive tree. The people saw that her gift was better, so they named the city after her.” “They must really like olives.” “Oh, forget it.” “Now, if she’d invented pizza—that I could understand.”
Highly recommended for anyone looking for something quick and entertaining to read; and even those who don't. This is a must-read for everyone.
If there is one book I wish everyone could read at least once in their lives, undo
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It's the choosing that's important, isn't it?
If there is one book I wish everyone could read at least once in their lives, undoubtedly, without a second thought, it would be this one. Lois Lowry constructs a story that is so haunting and thought-provoking and unlike anything I have ever read before. While this may be a story about a fictional utopian society, the similarities between the world Lowry has created and the world we live in now are almost all too similar for comfort.
The story is centered around a futuristic society where there is no pain, no war, and no fear. It's a society where everyone is the same; where equality is cherished. Life is perfect. When they turn twelve, each member of the Community receives their job for contributing to the Community.
The Giver follows Jonas, who is almost twelve and about to receive his job assignment. Little does he know how the job he will be chosen for and the tasks associated with it will change his life forever.
Lowry's characterization is superb. While the government has tried their best to make every citizen the same, it's these small differences that make them stand out in such a monotone society. From Jonas' curiosity and love of the truth, to his hilarious best friend Asher, to the nuturing Fiona - each of these characters hold a special place in my heart.
The best part of The Giver is how highly thought-provoking it is. What would it be like if we were all the same, without anything to make us unique? Lowry makes us truly realize the wonderfulness of our unique talents and gifts, and demonstrates that we should embrace them with all our power and not let them go to waste.
With its brilliant and thought-provoking storyline and ending, Lowry has created a tale that is a must-read for everyone. The story will linger in your head for days - even weeks - and Jonas, the Giver, and Gabe are characters you will never forget.
For the first time, he heard something that he knew to be music. He heard people singing. Behind him, across vast distances of space and time, from the place he had left, he thought he heard music too. But perhaps, it was only an echo.
Wouldn't we all look guilty, if someone searched hard enough?
How is it possible to review something so brilliant yet so twisted
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Wouldn't we all look guilty, if someone searched hard enough?
How is it possible to review something so brilliant yet so twisted and mind-blowing? Frankly, it's a near impossible feat, but Dangerous Girls is so amazing that I at least have to try to express its brilliance.
It's spring break of senior year, and that undoubtedly calls for celebration. Anna, her boyfriend Tate, her best friend Elise, along with a few other friends, are ready for the time of their lives as they hop on a plane headed for Aruba. But not long into the trip, suddenly Elise is found murdered. And Anna is the prime suspect.
Dealing with prejudice, false accusations, and no one to rely on as her friends - one by one - leave her, Anna is forced to stand her own ground in a foreign country and prove to everyone that she is innocent.
One moment. One picture. One glimpse – that’s all it takes to make someone think they know the truth.
Dangerous Girls is set in multiple timeframes - the day of the murder, present-day as Anna awaits her trial, and in the past as we get the story of Anna and Elise's friendship. Usually, this wouldn't work for me as I find whenever books are written in multiple timeframes that the writing tends to become a bit sloppy, but Abigal Haas impressed me by writing in this style and and still managing to keep her writing crisp and fresh.
The characters in Dangerous Girls have the potential to really annoy you - each and every one of them - in some capacity. Even so, Haas has a way of developing her characters - likeable or not - that you can't deny. She masterfully crafts each character and their motivations, personalities, and different ways of thinking and viewing the world.
All in all, this was absolutely wonderful. The twists and turns were fascinating, and I had to constantly wrap my mind around the constant realizations and discoveries. And, of course, the ending was absolutely fabulous and mind-boggling.
There's not much to say about Wendelin van Draaen's middle grade romance Flipped, except that it is absolutely adorable and wonderfu
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There's not much to say about Wendelin van Draaen's middle grade romance Flipped, except that it is absolutely adorable and wonderfully written. Over the course of this 212-page marvel, you'll laugh, you'll cry, you'll swoon, and you'll feel angry all at the same time. What is surprising is that while this is considered to be a middle grade novel, it has so much complexity and so many great morals.
All I've ever wanted is for Juli Baker to leave me alone. For her to back off — you know, just give me some space.
Bryce Loski's life changed for the worse when Juli Baker moved into the neighborhood during the summer of second grade. This obnoxious girl manages to screw up his life not only at home, but at school too. And even worse, she seems to have a bit of an obsession with him.
The first day I met Bryce Loski, I flipped. Honestly, one look at him and I became a lunatic. It's his eyes. Something in his eyes. They're blue, and framed in the blackness of his lashes, they're dazzling. Absolutely breathtaking.
Juli, however, has a completely different perspective on Bryce. It takes one look at him, and Juli's in love with him, head over heels.
And that's pretty much how it continues up until eighth grade; when Juli begins to realize that maybe Bryce isn't as wonderful as she originally thought, and Bryce begins to see Juli for the wonderful person she is.
The characterization of both Bryce and Juli is absolutely pheonominal. Juli is stubborn, headstrong and intelligent; a character you could really sympathize for. While Bryce's character was a bit selfish in the beginning, I adored his character transformation and how well and realistically it was written. Even more wonderful are the three-dimensional secondary characters. From Bryce's parents, grandfather and sister, to Juli's parents and brothers, all the supporting characters have a surprising amount of depth that gave them the potential to be as memorable as Bryce and Juli themselves.
The romance between Juli and Bryce, however, was definitely one of the highlights of the story. Their romance was something I was constantly rooting for and shipping from the first page onwards, and the way van Draaen decided to bring them together was absolutely brilliant.
I loved everything about it, and I hope you do too.
Some of us get dipped in flat, some in satin, some in gloss. But every once in a while, you find someone who's iridescent, and when you do, nothing will ever compare.
Let me tell you something straight off. This is a love story, but not like any you've heard. The boy and girl are far from innocent. Dear lives are lost. And good doesn't win. In some places, there is something ultimately good about endings. In Neverland, that is not the case...
With Tiger Lily, Jodi Lynn Anderson has created a story that is like nothing you or I have ever read before. The exquisite writing, the beautiful romance, and the tear-inducing ending all combine to make a tale that is as stunning as it is bold.
When lonely outcast Tiger Lily meets charismatic, elusive Peter Pan, they begin to bond instantly. Peter is like no one Tiger Lily has even known before, and the more time they spend together, the more she falls in love with him. But when Wendy Darling, an English settler who is everything Tiger Lily is not, arrives in Neverland, Tiger Lily must decide just how far she'll go for love.
Sometimes I think that maybe we are just stories. Like we may as well just be words on a page, because we're only what we've done and what we are going to do.
One of the main highlights of Anderson's story is her breathtaking prose. The writing is absolutely exquisite and gorgeous, and it captivates you from the first sentence until the last. She is a master storyteller, and she strings words together in a manner that I have never seen before.
Tiger Lily narrated through the perspective of Tinker Bell. While narrating from the perspective of an outside character is a risky choice, Anderson somehow manages to make it work flawlessly.
To love someone was not what she had expected. It was like falling from somewhere high up and breaking in half, and only one person having the secret to the puzzle of putting her back together.
The romance between Peter Pan and Tiger Lily is one of the most beautifully written romances I've ever had the pleasure of reading. Tiger Lily and Peter's faults and strengths align perfectly together, and their chemistry is both fantastic, realistic and slowburn; and you evidently can't help rooting for them as a couple.
If there is one book I can recommend that does not get quite as much hype as it deserves, it is evidently this flawless retelling, and I hope you are able to experience its power at one point or another....more
Happy Hunger Games! And may the odds be ever in your favor.
The Hunger Games is a masterpiece. It is a violent, thought-provoking, and acti
Happy Hunger Games! And may the odds be ever in your favor.
The Hunger Games is a masterpiece. It is a violent, thought-provoking, and action-packed survival story with an unforgettable cast of characters. Suzanne Collins writes beautifully; everything is incredibly crisp and sharp. There is not a word out of place or a sentence that isn’t needed.
The Hunger Games is set in a futuristic United States, now called Panem, which is divided into 12 sections (“districts”). As punishment for rebelling against them, the government now issues an annual yearly lottery for citizens aged 12 to 18. One female and one male is selected from each district, where they are taken the Capitol. There, they fight to the death until only one remains.
When 16-year-old Katniss' beloved 12-year-old sister Prim is chosen as the female representative for their district, she doesn't hesitate before volunteering to take her place in the deadly games. But will she survive?
Katniss is an incredible heroine that is impossible not to root for. She is a true survivor with incredible resourcefulness and bravery. Though she is not particularly sociable or friendly, it is her deep and abiding love for her younger sister that really shines through.
What really stands out about this story is how strong the secondary characters are, most notably the other tributes competing in the games alongside Katniss. From the delicate and musical Rue, to the deadly and sadistic Cato and Clove, to the sly and elusive Foxface, each tribute has distinct personalities and backstories.
Suzanne Collins has created a phenomenal story here, and it is not hard to see why it has been read and loved by so many. Katniss’s story is one that is difficult to forget.
“You don’t forget the face of the person who was your last hope.”
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