I have just re-read 'the Lightning Thief' by Rick Riordan for probably the twentieth time because it is so amazing.
In this book, Percy Jackson starts to notice strange things happening in his life at boarding school. When he gets kicked out of the boarding school he starts to notice weird things are happening in his life. Things start to get even stranger on his beach trip with his mom. Percy soon finds himself face to face with the real-life Minotaur. What will he do when the monster captures his mother?
I would give this book 6 stars out of 5. Truly worth the read.. and the several re-reads after that. The beginning of a lovely series for any age.

This book contains a captivating world in which angels and demons exist, and there are two in particular we follow who roam the Earth. Their goal: to stop the apocalypse. Their respective sides endeavor for the apocalypse to occur, but the angel Aziraphale and the demon Crowley have grown very fond of Earth.
The story follows several humans as well, including the Witchfinder Newton Pulsifer, the witch Anathema Device, and the Them. It also follows the story of the Antichrist, and the four horsemen. It is an absolutely spellbinding read.

The Once and Future King, by T. H. White, is a great fantasy classic that is a retelling of the saga of King Arthur. The novel is stuffed with a mix of wonderful emotions that blend together to make a very unique fantasy story. The characters are all developed very well, especially the protagonist, and the plot fits them very well. The book has some very sorrowful scenes, but does a fantastic job of spacing them out with its humor. The only downside to the book is that it is for high-level readers.

If the story was put into a bit simpler language, it would relate to more people and reduce the amount of strain placed on the readers' mind while trying to interpret it. Overall, The Once and Future King is a great fantasy novel, but its use of complicated language takes away from the world it creates.

In the first book of the Percy Jackson and the Olympians series, The Lightning Thief, Percy the protagonist has been accused of stealing Zeus’ Lightning bolt. Percy must get it back to avoid all out war among the gods. Along the way he makes some new friends and meets some strange characters.

This book is one of the best books I have ever read. This book is very unpredictable. My favorite types of books are the ones that are unpredictable and this one has one of the best twist ever in a book. This book did well in the bookstores and was made into a movie. However, in my opinion, the book is substantially better than the movie. The book has lots more parts that are really funny and the movie leaves out great parts of the story. I would recommend this to anyone interested in mythology as it is based on Greek gods and their over the top stories. Yet, this is an excellent book and is good for almost everyone, even if you are not a Greek mythology expert because it is pretty easy to follow along.

Reviewer grade: 9

An excellent introduction to Greek mythology and adventure, Percy Jackson and the Olympians provides an engaging storyline and an interesting set of characters. Perfect for early interest in literature and mythology alike, it is one of my first favorite series of books. Although it's a childish book, it attracts readers of all ages with its fun dynamics and interesting plot line. It is a clever modern twist on traditional stories. I would recommend reading for ages 9 to 12, but it can be enjoyed at any age.

The book "The Red Pyramid" by Rick Riordan is an excellent read for pretty much any age group. The main characters, Carter and Sadie Kane, embark on their first adventure in this book. When their dad accidentally summons an Egyptian god and is entombed in the Underworld, these twins must risk everything to find him. With the help of their mysterious uncle, Carter and Sadie must practice using their hidden magic to defeat anything in the way of them and their father. "The Red Pyramid" is an amazing story with lovable, relatable characters and the ending will want you craving more!!

I enjoyed this book and when I finished it in 7th grade, I was glad to find out that there were two more books in the Kane Chronicles. "The Red Pyramid" is suspenseful and you will not be able to put it down. I loved all the characters in this book and have already read it three times. The main reason I chose this book was because one of my friends recommended it, and I am so happy I decided to read it!! The whole book was exciting and I would be happy to read it a fourth time. I am excited to read more books by Rick Riordan and hope they are just as great as this one.

Reviewer Grade- 8th grade

This epic poem is one of the most fascinating pieces of literature I have ever read. Following the story of Odysseus, it is an epic journey where gods and mythical monsters try and impede his journey home. There is mythology intertwined with adventurous storytelling, and the style of writing, while obviously more difficult than modern writing, is not too challenging that it makes the poem hard to read. I would recommend reading it for both its historical significance and because of how interesting the story itself is. While it will take some time to get through, the story, I believe, is worth the time. The monsters that Odysseus encounters barter with him and tell him stories that deepen the plot; his interactions and relationships reveal mysteries and provide new motivations or points of interest.

Everything is complexly interconnected and it does take a bit of historical context or background knowledge to understand all parts of the story, so it is an undertaking. However, the fantastic and timeless story is entirely unique. I would give it five out of five stars.

This book follows ex-convict Shadow, once he is released from prison and enters into a new job as the assistant to Mr. Wednesday (more commonly known as Odin). Shadow doesn’t believe the fact that he is surrounded by gods, until Mr. Wednesday introduces him to god and god and shows him undeniable evidence. Mr. Wednesday is using Shadow as a mean of amassing the older, more forgotten gods into an army ready to retaliate against the new gods of the modern era. Technology, for example, is depicted as a god, but a socially removed and young god. This has been one of my absolute favorite books to read because of how it explores the change in worshiping from ancient gods and folklore into technology, media, and trends. The book is so complicated because it brings together ancient gods of cultures from around the world.

Each have different origins and purposes, and the role Shadow plays as the representation of humanity only intensifies the surreal feeling of the book.
I liked how I was able to relate to Shadow, as bring subject to the controlling factors of society, whether they be demanding gods or media outlets. I appreciated how well-researched the cultures written about were, and how there isn't a page in the book that doesn’t bring about another point to think about, something like morality or control. The book is also very entertaining and a fascinating storyline, and I would highly recommend it to any reader. I would give it five out of five stars.

In his book "Norse Mythology", author Neil Gaiman retells the stories of Norse myth with incredible wit. He renews classic characters such as Thor and Odin with personality and charm. Gaiman updates the tales for modern times to help bring their magic to a new audience. I immensely enjoyed this book -- every story was captivating and fresh -- every character was wonderfully well-written -- and I loved the whimsical writing style. I honestly have nothing negative to say about this book -- except that, perhaps, it was too short. I simply wanted even more! If you love mythology, definitely pick up this book. I promise you -- you will not regret it!

Twelve-year-old Aru Shah has a habit of lying. She exaggerates her life to her pretentious classmates in the hopes of fitting in. But, when she lights an ancient cursed lamp to impress them, she accidentally brings about the end of days and a dark creature known as the Sleeper. Together, with her new friend Mini, they have to stop the Sleeper and save humanity. "Aru Shah and the End of Time" is an exciting, funny, heartwarming book that reminded me ofsome of the earlier "Percy Jackson" books by Rick Riordan -- and I thought Mini and Aru's unlikely friendship was a charming, very compelling part ofthe story. There were some parts that were slow and seemed to meander a little, but, nevertheless, this story was a blast. From the minute the story starts, you will want to follow Aru and her friends to the very end.

The mighty hero triumphs over evil and saves the people from utter destruction. Sound familiar? Of course it does, it’s the basic plot line of the cliche hero’s tale that everybody knows. However, all of these tales most likely spawned from Beowulf, the oldest surviving English poem written in Anglo - Saxon around the 11th Century A.D. Beowulf is an epic poem that begins with Hrothgar, King of the Danes. Hrothgar’s people live in peace when they are attacked and threatened by a monster named Grendel, who kills off the Danes everynight in their mead-hall, Heorot. So in comes Beowulf son of Ecgtheow, a mighty warrior from Geatland who promises to defeat Grendel and bring prosperity back to the Danes. Beowulf is an amazing poem as it not only tells the classic tale of the epic hero and his journey, but contains hidden meanings aside from literal. Beowulf has no known author, but contains elements of factual history, which tells us this may be a tale describing actual events. This piece of literature is a traditional master piece and should be preserved as an example of how words and tales can evolve over decades. Reviewer Grade 12.

Goddess Test by Aimee Carter
When I was searching for a book, this one caught my eye because of the title and cover. I have an interest in Greek mythology and this book was an amazing refresher. Even if you don't know much about the myths to begin with this book covers the need to know basics, especially with the story of Persephone. I enjoyed the modern twist to the original stories I grew up with as a child. This book held surprises and turns to the plot I would never have expected. I recommend this book for the teen girls. I could really relate to all the emotions and thoughts which seem to fly through Kate's mind.
There is romance, challenges, and life threatening situations the main character Kate Winters must face to save the lives of her dying mother, and a mysterious dark handsome stranger who seems to believe he's a god. All the while she tries to save the lives of the people around her, someone wants her dead and that someone has succeeded in killing eleven girls before her. She must become immortal or die trying.
This book is one of three in a series, with other connecting books on the side I highly recommend. Once I started reading I could not put it down until I finished the entire series.

In the second book of the Trials of Apollo series, the former god (currently human) Apollo teams up with Leo Valdez and Calypso to search for a way to restore his godhood, find a missing friend, and stop an evil emperor's plot to take over the world. This sequel was every bit as good as the first book. Fun, action-packed, and surprising. I'd highly recommend to those who love the Percy Jackson books and the Heroes of Olympus series.

It has been a year since Magnus Chase discovered he was a demigod, checked into the Hotel Valhalla, and entered the treacherous world of Norse Mythology. But, his quest has just begun. Thor's hammer has gone missing, Magnus's best friends Hearthstone and Blitzen are nowhere to be found, and a new child of Loki is wreaking havoc at Hotel Valhalla. Not to mention, there's a mysterious assassin that has warned Magnus of the dangers of retrieving Thor's hammer...
This is the sequel to the Sword of Summer - and I had very high expectations.
The Hammer of Thor met all of them. It is a fun, adventurous thrill ride with lots of unexpected twists and turns. We get to learn more about the mysterious pasts of our favorite characters and see their relationships develop. This book was amazing!
Reviewer Grade: 10

The Lost Hero is a Percy Jackson series with new characters but without Percy himself. I loved the third person point of view and the three point of views from Piper, Leo, and Jason. Even though it is written in third person, the main targeted character is specialized well and in detail. Jason goes on adventures and quests without knowing himself which adds to the strong character development he will obtain later in the book. Greek and Roman mythology are perfectly mushed into this book. Riordan took aspects from the original Percy Jackson book and altered them to fit the plot of this book. This is not a five star because the story itself felt a little too similar to The Lightning Thief.
Reviewer Grade: 12

This book was about a boy and he is captured by berserkers and was taken on a great journey to find who he truly is. He learned to defeated some of his greatest inner demons and learned that there are two sides to every story. Also he learned the value of humbleness and that good thing come at a price. He also learns that patients there is beauty in everything. For a grade I give this book a 4.5. I loved this book. It was about an amazing adventure into new places and a road to self discovery. I had mighty beasts and gentle giants. It is a great book for teens and would recommend it for anyone that loves books with great quests and beasts with two sides. A light side that brings love and acceptance, and a dark side that brings chaos and hate. I hope anyone who reads this loves it as much as I did. The only thing I did not like about this book is that my favorite characters did not end up in a relationship, but there are other books in the series I have yet to read.
Actual Rating: 4.5
Reviewer Grade: 8

Trials of Apollo is a view of a Greek god turned human. This book is written by Rick Riordan the writer of The Percy Jackson series. This is a fresh new twist on Greek mythology with new characters, slang, and a threat lurking behind a innocents face. This is a very entertaining book on betrayal, friendship, and family. I enjoyed the classic characters and the new ones too.
Actual Rating: 3.5
Reviewer Grade: 7

The Hidden Oracle is kind of one of those books you’ll read just because you’re a huge Riordan fan (like me). The plot of is not the best; it’s the standard action/fantasy plot of a character fighting monsters with friends and maturing along the way, along with some good old-fashioned betrayal. It does have some redeeming points, though. First of all it’s written with typical Riordan humor. Also the story had a unique point of view, since it is about (and narrated by) the ex-god Apollo, who Zeus made mortal after his involvement in the war with the giants in the previous series. Apollo, of course, does not handle this well, especially after he is tied to the annoying demigod Meg and forced to go on several dangerous quests. This book is also a MUST read for Riordan fans because it ties off several loose ends from the Heroes of Olympus series and also has several references to the Magnus Chase series. However if you’ve never read any other books by Riordan you’ll be fine because the references aren’t major plot details.

Reviewer Grade: 11

The epic Percy Jackson saga comes to a close, concluding the journey aboard the Argo II - facing the earth goddess Gaea in their final battle.

This book was excellent. Nico, one of my favorite characters, has a POV for the first time. Although it is the final book (which tend to be rather depressing), this one is filled with lots of humor and adventure. The ending felt a bit rushed, but I still adored this book. Rick Riordan allowed his readers to say goodbye to his characters with one last excellent adventure.
Reviewer Grade: 9

The Demigod Diaries is a fun collection of short stories that bring you back into Percy Jackson's world with new adventures. Luke Castellan, son of Hermes, tells his story for the first time in "The Diary of Luke Castellan". Argo II members Leo Valdez, Jason Grace, and Piper McLean go on a search for a missing item and wind up finding trouble within the forest of Camp Half-Blood. Rick Riordan's son, Haley, also includes a demigod story of his own.

Overall, this book was lots of fun. Each story was interesting, adventurous, and packed with humor. I especially loved hearing more about Luke's past, as his character in the first series didn't have much time to tell his story. Leo's adventure is hilarious and fun. Haley's story was well-written, but I felt it was a little serious, considering the rest of the stories are more light-hearted. Nevertheless, this book is wonderful. I highly recommend it if you are a fan of the Percy Jackson and Heroes of Olympus series.

Reviewer Grade: 9

Apollo – the Greek god of music, archery, healing, plague, and the sun – has been turned into a mortal teenager and dropped onto Earth as punishment from his father, Zeus. In order to earn his godly title back, he must be guided by a demigod and follow their orders – this demigod happens to be feisty Meg McCaffrey, “street urchin overlord”. The two must team up to help Apollo succeed in his trials and become a god again.

I read this book in 2 days – I could not put it down! It is adventurous and hilarious! Apollo is an interesting hero who must overcome his arrogance by becoming an average mortal teenager and proving himself to his fellow gods – and you totally root for him along the way. I would recommend reading the Percy Jackson and the Heroes of Olympus books before reading this one because many of the old characters make appearances and it would be easier to understand the references to the other series. Being a longtime fan of these books, I was so excited to see that Rick had brought back almost the entire Argo II crew back!

This book was truly awesome – lots of humor and adventure. I highly recommend it. 5 out of 5 stars.

Reviewer Grade: 9

Magnus Chase is a sixteen-year-old homeless kid with a fear of wolves and a tragic past involving the death of his mother. He doesn’t think he is anyone special – that is until his mysterious Uncle Randolph tells Magnus that the boy’s father is a Norse god.

And that he is in grave danger.

Magnus is plunged into the world of Norse mythology, discovering the truth behind his parentage and his mother’s death. He also finds out that Ragnarok, the Norse definition of the apocalypse, is on the horizon. The fire giant Surt is planning on unleashing an evil creature named Fenrir Wolf to start Ragnarok. If Magnus and his friends don’t stop Fenrir from being released, Ragnarok will begin and both mortals and heroes will be in danger.

This book is witty, surprising, adventurous, exciting, and very unique. Our hero Magnus Chase is someone you can really root for – along with his friends Samirah, Hearth, and Blitz, who are all relatable, likable, and overall totally awesome. I really loved how this book takes you on an amazing adventure from page one. Every plot twist was completely unexpected. This book is easily one of the best books I’ve read this year- suitable for everyone who loves a good adventure story.

I chose this book because Rick Riordan, author of the Percy Jackson series, is one of my favorite authors. I had high expectations for this book because of this – and it totally met all of them.

Magnus Chase and the Sword of Summer is the start of an amazing, utterly unique book series. 5 out of 5 Stars.

Reviewer Grade: 9

I absolutely loved Percy Jackson and the Olympians series , but I think that The Heroes of Olympus has surpassed it. All the new characters introduced in this story are really interesting with a mystery aspect. This whole story will keep you guessing because of the little background information given on every character. With a new war and new enemy to defeat this book will keep you up all night!

Reviewer Grade: 9

This novel is the first book of a prospective trilogy by Rick Riordan. In my opinion this novel surpassed Percy Jackson in the Lightning Thief as an origin story. I found the Norse Mythology the most interesting mythology ever presented by Uncle Rick. It is unique and of course humorous. The plot was both daring and nostalgic as it put characters into familiar roles, but also had twists that I was not expecting. I enjoyed each of the four main characters—particularly Magnus’s cool friend Sam, who defies what people expect of her in order to make the world a better place. What I remember best about the book is how funny it was. I liked the book overall and look forward reading the rest of the series.

Reviewer Grade: 9

Magnus Chase was an ordinary teenager—if you can consider normal as being a homeless orphan whose mother was murdered by supernatural wolves. Then, of course, things got worse. And weirder. Because Magnus Chase died.
The end? Not so much.
After he dies, Magnus is taken to Valhalla, the afterlife for Norse warriors. There he learns that he is the demigod son of Frey, a Norse god, and that his two best friends Blitzen and Hearthstone are a dwarf and an elf. Oh, and the world is about to end because a wolf is going to bring on Ragnarok. Now Magnus has to face some of his deepest fears, travel across realms, and somehow befriend a talking sword named Jack in order to prevent Armageddon and save the world from Fenris wolf’s wrath.
Written in irreverent first person with equal doses of humor and drama, The Sword of Summer is captivating from the first chapter and holds interest and emotion to the very last word.

Reviewer Grade: 10