TheBooky

All right, so I watched a few booktubers do this (ie. 1book1review), and I thought it was really cool. However, I’m not going to put my face on camera (any of me, including my voice, actually). I refuse. So, I’m writing it! :D

AND I TAG YOU. 

• Diabetes: a book that’s too sweet or really sweet.

• Chicken Pox: a book that you’ve read once, and will never pick up again.

• Influenza: the flu; a contagious book that spreads like a virus.

• The cycle: a book you read every month, year, or often.

• Insomnia: a book that kept you up all night.

• Amnesia: a book that’s forgotten, and failed to leave a powerful impression in your memory.

• Asthma: a book that took your breath away.

• Malnutrition: a book that lacked food for thought.

• Travel sickness: a book that took you on a journey through time or space, or to a specific local on the map.

I picked: The Good Earth by Pearl S Buck. Because it was a fantastic read that made me want to witness the characters’ world first hand. And then come back. Totally. Or maybe go into the book, be in the worlds as a ghost-thing, and then come back. A close second was Persuasion by Jane Austen (with the traveling ghost option, of course). 

• If you do this, let me know so that I can read what you wrote!!! Because, remember, I’m tagging you! ^.^

I am live-tweeting the experience. 

0.0 :D

Guys, I’m going to the Rick Riordan event later this afternoon. I’m so excited. 

I’m going to try to post pictures and stuff on my Twitter (if I get permission to, that is…if not, well, I’ll try to sneak a few for you). 

:D 

Review of The Mark of Athena by Rick Riordan!

NO SPOILERS.

Annabeth is terrified. Just when she’s about to be reunited with Percy—after six months of being apart, thanks to Hera—it looks like Camp Jupiter is preparing for war. As Annabeth and her friends Jason, Piper, and Leo fly in on the Argo II, she can’t blame the Roman demigods for thinking the ship is a Greek weapon. With its steaming bronze dragon masthead, Leo’s fantastical creation doesn’t appear friendly. Annabeth hopes that the sight of their praetor Jason on deck will reassure the Romans that the visitors from Camp Half-Blood are coming in peace.

And that’s only one of her worries. In her pocket Annabeth carries a gift from her mother that came with an unnerving demand: Follow the Mark of Athena. Avenge me. Annabeth already feels weighed down by the prophecy that will send seven demigods on a quest to find—and close— the Doors of Death. What more does Athena want from her?

Annabeth’s biggest fear, though, is that Percy might have changed. What if he’s now attached to Roman ways? Does he still need his old friends? As the daughter of the goddess of war and wisdom, Annabeth knows she was born to be a leader, but never again does she want to be without Seaweed Brain by her side.

Narrated by four different demigods, The Mark of Athena is an unforgettable journey across land and sea to Rome, where important discoveries, surprising sacrifices, and unspeakable horrors await. Climb aboard the Argo II, if you dare… .

In The Son of Neptune, Percy, Hazel, and Frank met in Camp Jupiter, the Roman equivalent of Camp Halfblood, and traveled to the land beyond the gods to complete a dangerous quest. The third book in the Heroes of Olympus series will unite them with Jason, Piper, and Leo. But they number only six—who will complete the Prophecy of Seven? 


The Greek and Roman demigods will have to cooperate in order to defeat the giants released by the Earth Mother, Gaea. Then they will have to sail together to the ancient land to find the Doors of Death. What exactly are the Doors of Death? Much of the prophesy remains a mystery… . With old friends and new friends joining forces, a marvelous ship, fearsome foes, and an exotic setting, The Mark of Athena promises to be another unforgettable adventure by master storyteller Rick Riordan.

Summary from Goodreads

 Hardcover, 608 pages

LOOK AT WHAT I GOT IN THE MAIL TODAY.

Don’t worry, you’ll get no spoilers from me. I’ll not be reading this beauty until Tuesday night.

What dangers do runaway demigods Luke and Thalia face on their way to Camp Half-Blood? Are Percy and Annabeth up to the task of rescuing stolen goods from a fire-breathing giant who doesn’t take kindly to intruders? How exactly are Leo, Piper, and Jason supposed to find a runaway table, dodge a band of party-loving Maenads” (“who just might be a little psychotic), and stave off a massive explosion…all in one hour or less? 
With his trademark wit and creativity, Rick Riordan answers these questions and more in three never-before-seen short stories that provide vital back-story to the Heroes of Olympus and Percy Jackson books. Original art, enlightening character interviews and profiles, puzzles, and a quiz add to the fun in this action-packed collection.


*A story from Luke Castellan’s point of view, from the days when he adventured with Thalia and Annabeth. Many people have asked me to write an adventure prequel to The Lightning Thief. Here it is!

*A classic first-person Percy Jackson story, the first I’ve written since The Last Olympian. In this adventure, Annabeth and Percy’s date is interrupted by the god Hermes, whose staff has been stolen by a fire-breathing giant. This cannot be good …

*A Leo Valdez story, set at Camp Half-Blood. As Leo builds the Argo II, something goes terribly wrong. Now Leo will need the help of Piper and Jason, or the entire camp might be destroyed.

*And, as announced on Rock Center, the anthology includes a debut short story from my son Haley. Since Haley inspired the entire Percy Jackson series, it seemed only right that I asked him to contribute his own original spin on Percy’s world for this book. I was amazed at what Haley came up with. His brother Patrick, who’s a tough editor, was quick to say, “Dad, his story is better than yours!” Haley ponders the question: “What happened to the demigods who fought with Kronos’s army after the battle in Manhattan?” This is the story of one such demigod, and I have to admit, some of Haley’s ideas are so good I wish I’d come up with them!

(ABOVE SOURCE: Rickriordan.blogspot.com)

This is going to be a short review, because, of course, Riordan can really do no wrong. When he’s not torturing his readers with insane cliffhangers (even though he says they’re not really cliffhangers), this man is writing really amazing and entertaining stories. 

In these three short stories written by Riordan, we get to see some of our favorite demigods (from both The Heroes of Olympus and Percy Jackson and the Olympians)  go on brand new (and short) adventures. This book is a must-read for everyone who’s read PJ & the Olympians as well as two books that are out in The Heroes of Olympus series because it’s everything you love about Riordan plus one story written by his son. 

It helps with the wait for The Mark of Athena (Book 3 in The Heroes of Olympus), as well. 

thoughtsinthepensieve:

But his books are great and I think everyone should read them. :D

bookaddict24-7:

Fans of the Percy Jackson and the Olympians series know him as Rick Riordan, but before becoming a successful author he was just Richard Russell Riordan Jr to those who knew him. Born on the fifth of June in 1964 in San Antonio, Texas to a musician and artist (his mom) and a ceramist (his…

(Source: bookaddict24-7)

thoughtsinthepensieve:

mythomagic:

The Titan’s Curse

“Let us find the dam snack bar,” Zoe said.

The Son of Neptune

“Schist,” said an angry voice from the grass.
Hazel raised her eyebrows. “Excuse me?”
“Schist! Big pile of schist!”

The Serpent’s Shadow

After passing the fourth such coffin, I stopped. “Those things are way too big for humans. What’s in there?”
“Bull,” Setne said.
“Excuse me?”

And this is one of the reasons I love Rick Riordan.

(Source: biotwerk, via thoughtsinthepensieve)

Ever since I finished The Serpent’s Shadow by Rick Riordan, I haven’t been in the mood to read anything other than Rick Riordan. I’m so sad the Kane Chronicles is over. I don’t even care that I have Insurgent by Veronica Roth (sequel to Divergent) sitting on my shelf, gathering dust. I’m pinning for more Riordan! Can’t wait til The Mark of Athena!

The Serpent’s Shadow by Rick Riordan. A review of its perfection after the summary. 

He’s b-a-a-ack! Despite their best efforts, Carter and Sade Kane can’t seem to keep Apophis, the chaos snake, down. Now Apophis is threatening to plunge the world into eternal darkness, and the Kanes are faced with the impossible task of having to destroy him once and for all. Unfortunately, the magicians of the House of Life are on the brink of civil war, the gods are divided, and the young initiates of Brooklyn House stand almost alone against the forces of chaos.

To find the answer they need, the Kanes must rely on the murderous ghost of a powerful magician who might be able to lead them to the serpent’s shadow… or might lead them to their deaths in the depths of the underworld…

Summary from Goodreads!

DISCLAIMER: I am biased. More than usual, actually. I will tell you why: I love Rick Riordan’s books for teens/kids/anyone, really—but they’re marketed as middle grade books, I think. I have read the Percy Jackson series and I am eagerly (slowly dying) waiting for the third book of The Heroes of Olympus series, The Mark of Athena, which is out this fall. I also read the other two books of the Kane Chronicles (The Red Pyramid and The Throne of Fire) and I loved them (not as much as I love the Greek mythology works he’s written—but still, lots of love). That being said…

Here’s what I thought:

• First off, this book has stunning cover art. I bought a physical copy (no nook for something this important) and the cover feels smooth and beautiful. My book smells rather wonderful, too. *sniffs book again*
• I believe I’ve said this before of Riordan, but he’s got an awesome sense of humor. He’s just funny. Which kind of makes me wonder if he’s just naturally funny or if he has to revise his writing a bunch of times to make sure it’s funny. Either way, it works for me. I love reading his stuff. 
• Another thing I love about Riordan? His characters, whether they be 12 or 18, are always empowered, in my opinion. This is true for this book as well. For instance, Sadie and Carter have to battle Chaos in order to save the world. These kids have admirable qualities (they’re brave, intelligent, loyal, etc) and they’re likable—you’re always rooting for them because they have heart. 
• The action: perfect. It lets up at the right moments and leaves room for character development, yet picks up and takes you for an emotional roller-coaster ride—more likely than not, you’ll end up caring about all the characters and you will have all these feelings squished against each other, crowding your chest and trying to get out. I was proud of myself—no tears this time. (No, this book does not have a sad ending. It has a perfect ending.) 
• I think this type of book is really good reading material for everyone. I mean, I’m 20 and I can’t get enough of these books. I will always be a die-hard Riordan fan. 
• What I really wanted to say about this book, though, is that it is a delightful ending to the chronicles. I enjoyed it quite a bit. Also, the insinuations made at the end of this book made me very hopeful (no spoilers here, but if you’ve read it, then you know what I mean). 

Do I recommend this series? I sure as hell do. 

Also, if anyone has read this, message me. I need to talk to someone about this. 

myvelocitymakesyousweat:

The Lost Hero (Heroes of Olympus book 1) by Rick Riordan

576 pages

Hyperion / Disney

Review: This start to a new series definitely did not disappoint. Following Riordan’s Percy Jackson and the Olympians series, it was a strong beginning that rivals the original series. The new characters that were introduced were totally believable, and the three different narratives flowed naturally and smoothly. All three of them held different tones to distinguish between them. Leo’s narrative in particular was very fun because of all of the character’s personality that was relayed simply through the narrative and choice of wording (and come one, let’s face it— I totally fell in love with Leo when he said “Let’s boogie.” I absolutely love it when author’s are able to create quirky dialogue and sayings that seem to come naturally to the characters, like in the Uglies and the Leviathan trilogies by Scott Westerfeld for example [‘totally bubbly’ and ‘you’re a bumrag’ ‘barking spiders’ ect ect] )

 Some parts of the plot were a tad bit predictable, but that doesn’t mean that the book was dull. The plot was definitely exciting and fast paced, and although there were some predictable plot points, there was also a large number of parts where I was trying to figure out what would happen. And I still can’t stop thinking about the book, so that’s a good sign.

Overall, I really loved this book. It totally sucked me in to a whole new adventure involving the demigods new and old. Rick’s entire demigod series totally revived Greek Mythology in my mind and made it more than a ‘dead’ religion that I had learned about in grade five, and that’s amazing.

I can’t wait to read about Percy again in the next installment, The Son of Neptune, which I must get my hands on soon.

Do NOT clicky if you have not read the book. Or if you aren’t finished with it.

Don’t do it.

SPOILERS!

SPOILERS!

SPOILERS!

Okay, if you click this it’s your own fault.

FINALLY. The Son of Neptune (by Rick Riordan, find him here: http://www.rickriordan.com/home.aspx and here:http://rickriordan.blogspot.com/) is the second book in The Heroes of Olympus series.

The series is going to be five books, and, as it stands, they are:

1. The Lost Hero
2. The Son of Neptune
3. The Mark of Athena (Fall 2012).
4. ??? (Fall 2013)
5. ??? (Fall 2014)

This is my review (SPOILER FREE) for The Son of Neptune. *rubs hands together* Here we go.

In the first pages of this standalone sequel to The Lost Hero, Percy Jackson remembers only his name and the name of Annabeth, a mysterious woman he associates somehow with the city of San Francisco. From those sparse clues, he must somehow complete a mission for the leader of the Roman camp even as he is being pursued by the two sisters of Medusa, who possess an apparently unquenchable thirst for vengeance: Even when killed, they spring back to life. Rick Riordan’s second Heroes of Olympus promises even more excitement than the first.

Summary from Goodreads. I realize that it’s a shitty summary, but I just don’t have time to find another one. Sorry guys!

All right! Cons:

• …
• …….
• Well, there’s one thing, I suppose: the ending! Most readers, if they’re anything like me, wont be satisfied. Well, hardcore Percy Jackson fans will not be satisfied with this ending. Biggest freakin’ cliff hanger on the planet, anyone?

So, now for the good stuff:

BTWS, I’m not a spoiler kind of person, so this post will be free of them.

• OH BOY! I was so excited to get this book. I apologize about all the crazy SoN spamming that’s been going on in my blog lately. It’s just one of those things, you know? This series, along with Percy Jackson and the Olympians and The Kane Chronicles, will do that to you.
• Rick Riordan just keeps getting better at what he does. All of the characters have way more depth that the characters in the aforementioned series. I mostly think this is because the books are getting a bit darker, and the characters are all older than, say, 12 yr old Percy. It seems to me that since Riordan’s audience is getting older, maybe he feels like it’s okay to throw heavier, darker themes into the books. I agree.
• The characters. OMGs. I can’t even. *takes a deep breath* All right, all right.
  

1. Let’s start with Percy: He’s as wonderful as ever. He’s older, still really funny, totally bad ass, and just PERCY. Even though this book is in third person and you don’t get that stream of consciousness that first person tends to lean toward, it’s totally cool. I didn’t mind. Not even one little bit. BECAUSE, people, you get to see Percy through other people’s eyes. As opposed to PJ & The , where the reader is totally in Percy’s head and readers see him as he sees himself (he’s totally humble and modest…and awesome), the third person POV actually let’s readers get a new Percy, in a way. Here you see he’s totally bad ass, and dangerous. He’s also, forgive me, somewhat hotter…simply because it’s other people telling you how he looks and describing his actions as opposed to Percy comparing himself to Apollo’s sacred cattle (like if you get this reference, lol).
2. Hazel. I really, really liked Hazel. I feel she was a really complex character with a nice range of emotions. I have high hopes for her. Her back story was insanely awesome. Plus, she’s related to one of the coolest demigods ever.
   
3. Frank. He’s soooo sweet. And incredible! I can’t say too much because I will not spoil anything, but you’re going to like him. BUT: I didn’t really like his granny so much. She was kind of harsh, lol.
   
4. Ella. I LOVED Ella. She’s one of my favorite characters in this series. Plus, she’s sweet and fragile (still totally smart and helpful). I love the scene where Percy meets Ella. It made me love Percy. Plus, you get to see just how cool Ella really is.
   
5. Reyna. Is cool. Just cool, for now. I’m going to re-read the book to see how I feel about her. I’m just not sure. My feelings thus far are not negative, so that’s a good sign.

• Riordan is hilarious. I would never expect anything less from him, honestly. I feel like he just keeps getting better and better and the jokes just get me every single time! Even when I re-read the PJ series, I still laugh. I think that will be the case with SoN.
• So I love Roman mythology. Yes, yes, I’ll always belong at Camp Half-Blood. Camp Jupiter is pretty bad ass, though. I did enjoy the camp, the atmosphere, etc. The Roman gods: totally awesome. I like Mars so much better. And Terminus is great. If you like PJ or the first book of this series, The Lost Hero, then you’re going to like SoN. You always learn something new while reading these books and I feel like SoN is no exception.
• The cover art is freakin’ incredible! I can’t stop staring at it. Plus, I love that it’s Percy on the cover. I love Percy, in case you hadn’t noticed. Also, I haven’t let ANYONE touch my copy of SoN. My mom touched it and I flipped out, hyperventilated. She just laughed at me. Point being: the cover is bad ass. Sorry I keep saying that, but I was just so HAPPY with this book. Also, even when you take the cover off, and it’s just the deep blue hard cover, it’s still sooooo pretty.

GO READ THIS BOOK.

If you’ve read it, what did you think?

(via weloveriordan-deactivated201111)