Thursday, January 28, 2010

Percy Jackson: The Titan's Curse


Percy Jackson: The Titan’s Curse by Rick Riordan

Release Date: May 1st 2007
Publisher: Disney Press
Age Group: Young Adult
Pages: 320
Overall:

When the goddess Artemis goes missing, she is believed to have been kidnapped. And now it's up to Percy and his friends to find out what happened. Who is powerful enough to kidnap a goddess? They must find Artemis before the winter solstice, when her influence on the Olympian Council could swing an important vote on the war with the Titans. Not only that, but first Percy will have to solve the mystery of a rare monster that Artemis was hunting when she disappeared -- a monster rumored to be so powerful it could destroy Olympus forever.
There were so many things happening in this book, that it was sometimes difficult to guess what was going to happen. When the Oracle recited the prophecy of saving Artemis, like many of the characters, I thought it meant one thing, when it meant something entirely different. This book was one that I couldn’t put down because I had to know what happened.

It is in this book that the relationship between Percy and Annabeth really starts to become apparent. For anyone who knows anything of stories revolving between two characters, one male, one female, know that they will probably end up together. While this story is not surprising in that fact, it is fun to see how they slowly decide how they feel about each other.

While the other books before this one basically set up the story line and introduced vital characters, this book starts to center on the war against Kronos. Readers learn more about how Kronos is affecting the world around him.

We also get to meet more mythological characters like Atlas and Calypso. My favorite group is the Hunters of Artemis, who bring their own personal twist in the story which become vital in the other books later on. This series has easily become one of my favorites.

Who Might Like This Book:
Harry Potter Lovers
Mythology Lovers



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Monday, January 25, 2010

Percy Jackson: Sea of Monsters


Percy Jackson: Sea of Monsters by Rick Riordan

Release Date: April 1st 2006
Publisher: Disney Press
Age Group: Young Adult
Pages: 385
Overall:

After a summer spent trying to prevent a catastrophic war among the Greek gods, Percy Jackson is finding his seventh-grade school year unnervingly quiet. His biggest problem is dealing with his new friend, Tyson, a six-foot-three, mentally challenged homeless kid who follows Percy everywhere, making it hard for Percy to have any normal friends. But things don't stay quiet for long.

Percy soon discovers there is trouble at Camp Half-Blood: the magical borders that protect Half-Blood Hill have been poisoned by a mysterious enemy, and the only safe haven for demigods is on the verge of being overrun by mythological monsters. To save the camp, Percy needs the help of his best friend, Grover, who has been taken prisoner on an island somewhere in the Sea of Monsters, the dangerous waters Greek heroes have sailed for millennia. Only today, the Sea of Monsters goes by a new name: The Bermuda Triangle.

Together with his friends, Percy must retrieve the Golden Fleece from the Island of the Cyclopes or Camp Half-Blood will be destroyed. But first, Percy will learn a stunning new secret about his family, one that makes him question whether being claimed as Poseidon's son is an honor or simply a cruel joke.
Like the first book, this book was amazing. I loved learning more about the world that Percy Jackson and his friends live in. It would be amazing to join that world, which makes it a new absolute favorite of mine.

The characters become even more detailed in this book. It is easy to see a budding relationship happening between certain characters, as well as learn to love new characters that are brought in. Tyson is one of my new favorite characters and he is adorable! I love how he treats Percy and is so protective of Annabeth. We also get to see more amazing takes on mythological beings such as the Cyclops that Odysseus encounters.

The thing that I love about this series is how easy it is to get drawn into the world, making it impossible to leave even more a second. Just like any other good series (thinking along the lines of Harry Potter), this series makes the reader wish they could simply jump into the pages and join the adventure.

I just love it.

Who Might Like This Book:
Harry Potter Lovers
Mythology Lovers



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Character:


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Tuesday, January 19, 2010

Teaser Tuesday (9)

Teaser Tuesday is a weekly meme held by Should Be Reading and here is my Teaser for today.





”Hi, Abby. How was your day?”

“The usual.” Liar, Liar, Pants on fire…

“Did you have any standout readings?” My sister loved to hear about the people I read. Tales of my clients were a bit of a soap opera for her, and typically I would rattle off a list of the highlights, but I just didn’t have it tonight.


Abby Cooper, Psychic Eye by Victoria Laurie, Pg. 124



Thursday, January 14, 2010

The Lightning Thief (Percy Jackson and the Olympians)


Percy Jackson: The Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan

Release Date: July 2005
Publisher: Disney Press
Age Group: Young Adult
Pages: 385
Overall:

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.
This is Book One in the Percy Jackson series and I absolutely loved it. It created a Secondary World that existed within modern day America, which is partly why I love the Twilight Saga, and more importantly, the Harry Potter series. The entire series is set in a similar fashion to that of Harry Potter with a few exceptions: Percy Jackson is a demi-god; The Greek Gods are very important to the story; Oh and they go to a summer camp.

I loved the characters. Percy couldn’t be more of a hero as he struggles with his identity, his powers and his people skills. He makes many friends along the way including other demi-gods, nature spirits, and creatures of the ocean. He also makes many enemies with his peers, elders…and maybe a god or two. However, his trusty sidekick Grover and best friend Annabeth are there to help keep him in line. Grover believes in him, giving him courage when he needs it while Annabeth brings logic and wisdom to the group, as is her nature. The other characters are represented in fun ways including Medusa and Ares. No one would expect to see the Greek Gods represented in such a way, and it is enjoyable as Rick does it.

The writing is fun and easy to read. It gives you insight into Percy’s head, and though it can be frustrating at times because it is obvious someone else (Annabeth, typically) knows information vital to the story that he hasn’t discovered yet. It also works well with the age that Percy is, especially since the reader can see a few things coming in the future books when he’s older, Percy is portrayed perfectly at the age of twelve.

This was the first book in a long time where I couldn’t wait to pick up the sequel. I read it in a day without any trouble. It was a great read and I recommend it to anyone who likes to read.

Who Might Like This Book:
Harry Potter Lovers
Mythology Lovers



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Tuesday, January 12, 2010

Teaser Tuesday (9)

Teaser Tuesday is a weekly meme held by Should Be Reading and here is my Teaser for today.





Both zombies were safe in their beds, sleeping it off. They'd snooze through the day and wake up around sunset, starving, but no longer craving human blood. Five or six pizzas each, and they'd be as good as new. Or as good as newly risen anyway.


Dead Town by Nancy Holzner, pg 138



Monday, January 11, 2010

Skeleton Creek


Skeleton Creek by Patrick Carman

Release Date: February 1st, 2009
Publisher: Scholastic Press
Age Group: Young Adult
Pages: 185
Overall:

S trange things are happening in Skeleton Creek . . . and Ryan and Sarah are trying to get to the heart of it. But after an eerie accident leaves Ryan housebound and forbidden to see Sarah, their investigation takes two tracks: Ryan records everything in his journal, while Sarah uses her videocam to search things out. . .and then email the clips for Ryan to see.

In a new, groundbreaking format, the story is broken into two parts -- Ryan's text in the book, and Sarah's videos on a special website, with links and passwords given throughout the book.
This book is unlike anything I have ever read before. It combines reading and the Internet in a spectacular way. The marketing aspect of the book is what really got me hooked when I joined a bunch of kids who were trying to depict whether or not it was real but clues that Patrick Carman set up months before its release at http://www.skeletoncreekisreal.com. It was fun to get into the story before it even came out.

The characters are pretty realistic, especially when you can see Sarah and read Ryan’s thoughts. It feels as if the reader is following along with them as they try and figure out this ghost story. Even the clips that are given throughout the story to show Sarah’s point of view, allow it to become more realistic and intriguing than other books.

The writing style and video style is what one would expect of the ages that are portrayed through the characters. It feels as if you are actually reading the journal of Ryan, instead of just a story that someone is writing. The incomplete and random thoughts that he has, makes the idea of him existing a little more real. By combining that with Sarah’s videos, it makes the entire story more relatable and approachable to those who do not necessarily like to read.



Who Might Like This Book:
Ghost Story Lovers
Mystery Lovers



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Friday, January 8, 2010

Bloggiesta!


The 2nd Annual Bloggiesta is happening this weekend! I did not participate in the last one, partly because I was an extremely new blogger, as well as I did not know about it until it was halfway over. I didn’t even find about this one until I stumbled across a mini-challenge at a favorite blog of mine, Bookworming in the 21st Century. Bloggiesta starts today (January 8th) and ends on Sunday (January 10th). It is a blogging marathon where you can catch up on everything for your blog. I think this will be a great thing for me so I can get ahead of posts as well as other things that are blog-related. What’s the best part of this whole thing? You can win some prizes for doing things you should be doing anyway! So, grab your essentials, get in the zone and get your blogging chores done!

I’ll be doing update posts along the way (unless I just get completely trapped in catch up) and let everyone know what I’m doing. If I don’t, I’ll do a wrap up post on Sunday and let everything be known!

If you’re doing Bloggiesta, leave a comment and let me know!



Wednesday, January 6, 2010

Waiting on Wednesday (12)

“Waiting on Wednesday” is a weekly meme hosted by Breaking the Spine


Shadow Mirror by Richie Tankersly Cusick
Release Date: March 18th, 2010

Unsettling. There’s no better word to describe Miranda Barnes’s ability to hear the cries of the dead, feel the wind move her hair when they run by, and—dare she look into a mirror—see the reflection of a ghostly woman behind her. There’s only one person to turn to for support: Etienne. As sexy as he is mysterious, Miranda can’t help but be drawn to him. He believes her; he wants to help her. But there’s a secret in Etienne’s past, something Miranda’s on the verge of discovering. As paranormal activity escalates, passion grows, and soon Miranda is caught up in both love . . . and tragedy.




This sounds amazing. I need to pick up the first book!

Saturday, January 2, 2010

In My Mailbox (10)

In My Mailbox is a weekly Meme hosted by The Story Siren



The Lovely Bones by Alice Sebold (Ebook/Little, Brown and Company/ July 3rd, 2002)
When we first meet 14-year-old Susie Salmon, she is already in heaven. This was before milk carton photos and public service announcements, she tells us; back in 1973, when Susie mysteriously disappeared, people still believed these things didn't happen. In the sweet, untroubled voice of a precocious teenage girl, Susie relates the awful events of her death and her own adjustment to the strange new place she finds herself. It looks a lot like her school playground, with the good kind of swing sets. With love, longing, and a growing understanding, Susie watches her family as they cope with their grief, her father embarks on a search for the killer, her sister undertakes a feat of amazing daring, her little brother builds a fort in her honor and begin the difficult process of healing. In the hands of a brilliant novelist, this story of seemingly unbearable tragedy is transformed into a suspenseful and touching story about family, memory, love, heaven, and living.



Percy Jackson: The Battle of the Labyrinth by Rick Riordan (Paperback/Hyperion/May 6th, 2008)
Percy Jackson's fourth summer at Camp Half-Blood is much like his previous three—high-octane clashes with dark forces, laced with hip humor and drama. Opening with a line for the ages—The last thing I wanted to do on my summer break was blow up another school—this penultimate series installment finds Percy, Annabeth and the satyr Grover furiously working to prevent former camp counselor Luke from resurrecting the Titan lord Kronos, whose goal is to overthrow the gods. When the heroes learn that Luke can breach Camp Half-Blood's security through an exit from Daedalus's Labyrinth, they enter the maze in search of the inventor and a way to stop the invasion. Along the way they encounter a lifetime supply of nightmare-inducing, richly imagined monsters. Grover's own quest to find the lost god Pan, meanwhile, provides a subtle environmental message. Percy, nearly 15, has girl trouble, having become something of a chick magnet.



Percy Jackson: The Last Olympian by Rick Riordan (Hardback/Listening Library/May 5th, 2009)
All year the half-bloods have been preparing for battle against the Titans, knowing the odds of a 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. And 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.



Witch and Wizard by James Patterson (Hardback/Century/December 14th, 2009)
Everything is about to change. The government has seized control of every aspect of society, and now kids are disappearing. For 15 year-old Wisty and her older brother Whit, life turns upside-down when they are hauled out of bed one night, separated from their parents, and thrown into a secret compound for no apparent reason. It's clear that the new government will stop at nothing to suppress Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Being a Normal Teenager.

For the sister and brother, the chaos started when Whit's girlfriend, Celia, was spirited away in a black van, never to be seen or heard from again. Locked inside their cells, the two fear that they have been taken to the very same complex that swallowed Celia and realize that a daring escape is their only hope of survival.

While imprisoned together, Wisty and Whit start exhibiting strange abilities and powers they never knew they possessed. Their new talents lead them to believe that maybe there is a reason they were singled out. Can this newly minted witch and a wizard master their skills in time to save themselves, their parents--and maybe the world?.



Night Shift by Lilith Saintcrow (Paperback/Orbit/July 1st 2008)
Not everyone can take on the things that go bump in the night.

Not everyone tries.

But Jill Kismet is not just anyone.

She's a Hunter, trained by the best - and in over her head.

Welcome to the night shift...



So many books, so little time...



“Anyone who says they have only one life to live must not know how to read a book." ~ Author Unknown

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