Daughter of the Deep

Title:  Daughter of the Deep

Author:  Rick Riordan

Publisher:  Disney-Hyperion

Date Published:  October 26, 2021

Genre:  Middle Grade, Young Adult, Sci-Fi

Rating:  ⭐⭐⭐⭐

My Thoughts:

-    Harding-Pencroft is a specialized school for students who are gifted in ocean life, ocean exploration, military training, etc. Ana is a young student at HP, and her life is turned upside down when her school is suddenly attacked and falls into the ocean. The only survivors are her fellow classmates who were on a bus heading for a training. They are now being hunted by the people who attacked the school, and Ana learns that she is the primary target. 

-    I really enjoyed Riordan's take on a classic tale. This book isn't a retelling, but it is highly influenced by a couple of Jules Verne novels. It was really cool. 

-    I loved how diverse this book was! It was diverse in so many ways: race, religion, and disabilities. I feel like Riordan did an amazing job at including these topics in a very natural and realistic way. It wasn't shoved down the reader's throat, but it was mentioned and talked about in a real and respectful way. 

-    It was fun getting to know each character, especially through Ana's eyes. It was like meeting new friends, and it reminded me of my grade school days. 

-    My daughter wants to be a marine biologist when she grows up, and I hope she reads this soon. She is going to love it. 

My Thoughts in a GIF:

The Blood of Olympus

Goodreads Synopsis:    Though the Greek and Roman crewmembers of the Argo II have made progress in their many quests, they still seem no closer to defeating the earth mother, Gaea. Her giants have risen—all of them—and they're stronger than ever. They must be stopped before the Feast of Spes, when Gaea plans to have two demigods sacrificed in Athens. She needs their blood—the blood of Olympus—in order to wake.

The demigods are having more frequent visions of a terrible battle at Camp Half-Blood. The Roman legion from Camp Jupiter, led by Octavian, is almost within striking distance. Though it is tempting to take the Athena Parthenos to Athens to use as a secret weapon, the friends know that the huge statue belongs back on Long Island, where it "might" be able to stop a war between the two camps.

The Athena Parthenos will go west; the Argo II will go east. The gods, still suffering from multiple personality disorder, are useless. How can a handful of young demigods hope to persevere against Gaea's army of powerful giants? As dangerous as it is to head to Athens, they have no other option. They have sacrificed too much already. And if Gaea wakes, it is game over.

My Thoughts:

-    I am very behind on reviews, and I'm in a major reading slump right now. I haven't read a book for weeks! It is awful. I hope I can remember enough of what I thought about this book to write a decent post. Luckily, I have a few notes.

-    At the time I read this, I really needed a good book with old friends, and this one fit the bill perfectly. I loved reading about Percy, Annabeth, Jason, Leo, and everyone else. It was a lot of fun.

-    While there are a lot of characters in this series/book, I didn't get the characters confused or mixed up. It is very easy to remember who is who and what god is their parent.

-    Leo really stole the show in this book. All our heroes did amazing things, but Leo really stood out to me. His role in the whole story was so great! I loved how he knew what needed to be done, and did everything possible to make sure it happened. He had some great character development throughout the whole series.

-    I have been waiting for an all out battle with the gods, demigods, and baddies since the beginning of this series, and I finally got one! It was awesome! I loved it!

-    This was an amazing ending to the series. It had everything! I was not disappointed! Riordan delivered!

-    Overall, I loved the series, and I can't wait to buy my own copies of the book. I can't wait to see what Rick Riordan has in store for his readers next!

Previous Books in The Heroes of Olympus Series:

(covers are linked to my thoughts)

  

Percy Jackson's Greek Gods

From Goodreads:    A publisher in New York asked me to write down what I know about the Greek gods, and I was like, Can we do this anonymously? Because I don't need the Olympians mad at me again. But if it helps you to know your Greek gods, and survive an encounter with them if they ever show up in your face, then I guess writing all this down will be my good deed for the week. 

So begins Percy Jackson's Greek Gods, in which the son of Poseidon adds his own magic--and sarcastic asides--to the classics. He explains how the world was created, then gives readers his personal take on a who's who of ancients, from Apollo to Zeus. Percy does not hold back. "If you like horror shows, blood baths, lying, stealing, backstabbing, and cannibalism, then read on, because it definitely was a Golden Age for all that."
Dramatic full-color illustrations throughout by Caldecott Honoree John Rocco make this volume--a must for home, library, and classroom shelves--as stunning as it is entertaining.

My Thoughts:

-    I really enjoyed this! I learned and laughed a lot.

-    I love that Rick Riordan made this companion book of the Greek myths. It is really fun to read about the Gods we've been getting to know from his other books. 

-    The God's stories are being told by Percy, and it really adds a lot of humor to the book. I love a lot of Percy's snide comments and modern references. 

-    Although I am familiar with a lot of these stories, I still learned a few things. I like how Percy made a disclaimer that there are a lot of variations on these myths, and he was telling the ones that made sense to him. 

-    I loved the beautiful/colorful illustrations throughout the book! I wish there had been more of them.

-    I like how the chapters or sections are each designated to a different God. I thought the book was very well planned and layed out. 

-    I wish I had had more time with this book. I had to rush through the last couple chapters to get it back to the library, sorry Dionysus. 

-    This is definite must have companion book for the Percy Jackson series! I can't wait to read the next book about Greek heroes. 

The House of Hades

Goodreads Synopsis:    At the conclusion of The Mark of Athena, Annabeth and Percy tumble into a pit leading straight to the Underworld. The other five demigods have to put aside their grief and follow Percy’s instructions to find the mortal side of the Doors of Death. If they can fight their way through the Gaea’s forces, and Percy and Annabeth can survive the House of Hades, then the Seven will be able to seal the Doors both sides and prevent the giants from raising Gaea. But, Leo wonders, if the Doors are sealed, how will Percy and Annabeth be able to escape?

They have no choice. If the demigods don’t succeed, Gaea’s armies will never die. They have no time. In about a month, the Romans will march on Camp Half-Blood. The stakes are higher than ever in this adventure that dives into the depths of Tartarus.

My Thoughts:

-    Not my favorite in the series, but still good.

-    I like how the story is told from the perspective of several different heroes. It is fun to get to know each of them. Even though the perspective is changing a lot, the story flows really well. 

-    All the demigods have their moments to shine, but Frank and Leo really stood out to me in this book. I'm growing to like them more and more.

-    I loved the world building of Tartarus. I've always been curious about that place, and it is as horrible as they say and worse. 

-    One of the things that bugged me was how convenient it was for someone random to show up and save our heroes at the last second. The journey is dangerous and there are perilous moments, but I would have liked to see the heroes figure out a way to save themselves more, especially Percy. 

-    I also thought that some of the god-like powers were stretched a bit. For Piper to turn on Festus with the power of love was WAY out there! The same with Hazel and the mist. I just couldn't buy it.

-    I'm excited to finish the series! I wonder what will happen to everyone.

Previous Books in The Heroes of Olympus Series:

(covers are linked to my thoughts)

  

The Mark of Athena

Goodreads Synopsis:    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 theArgo 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....

My Thoughts:

-    Our heroes are reunited and assembled! Woo!

-    Great characters and great adventures!

-    I love all the characters, but Leo is one of my favorites. He is so funny! The part with Narcissus was so awesome.

-    There was a lot going on in this book. The characters had to learn to get along. There were couples and their relationships. The quests, the camps, the dreams, etc. Riordan such a great storyteller because he has all these elements, but it isn't confusing and they are all part of the story as a whole. I hope that made sense.

-    Annabeth has some major star moments in this one. She was awesome! I would not have had the courage to do what she did. 

-    I love the Roman Holiday bit!!!! It made this book 10x more awesome when Gregory Peck and Audrey Hepburn made an appearance! 

-    Gush gush gush! Read this! 

-    The ending has quite the cliffhanger. I'm eager to devour more of the series! 

Previous Books in The Heroes of Olympus Series:

(covers are linked to my thoughts)

 

The Son of Neptune

Goodreads Says:    
Seven half-bloods shall answer the call, 
To storm or fire the world must fall.
An oath to keep with a final breath,
And foes bear arms to the Doors of Death.

Percy is confused. When he awoke from his long sleep, he didn't know much more than his name. His brain fuzz is lingering, even after the wolf Lupa told him he is a demigod and trained him to fight with the pen/sword in his pocket. Somehow Percy manages to make it to a camp for half-bloods, despite the fact that he has to keep killing monsters along the way. But the camp doesn't ring any bells with him. The only thing he can recall from his past is another name: Annabeth 

Hazel is supposed to be dead. When she lived before, she didn't do a very good job of it. Sure, she was an obedient daughter, even when her mother was possessed by greed. But that was the problem — when the Voice took over her mother and commanded Hazel to use her "gift" for an evil purpose, Hazel couldn't say no. Now because of her mistake, the future of the world is at risk. Hazel wished she could ride away from it all on the stallion that appears in her dreams. 

Frank is a klutz. His grandmother says he is descended from heroes and can be anything he wants to be, but he doesn't see it. He doesn't even know who his father is. He keeps hoping Apollo will claim him, because the only thing he is good at is archery — although not good enough to win camp war games. His bulky physique makes him feel like an ox, especially infront of Hazel, his closest friend at camp. He trusts her completely — enough to share the secret he holds close to his heart. 

Beginning at the "other" camp for half-bloods and extending as far as the land beyond the gods, this breathtaking second installment of the Heroes of Olympus series introduces new demigods, revives fearsome monsters, and features other remarkable creatures, all destined to play a part in the Prophesy of Seven.

My Thoughts:

-    I read this ages ago, but somehow I forgot to write a review! Oops!

-    I love how the first book was about Jason at Camp Half-Blood, and this one is all about Percy at Camp Jupiter.

-    I loved exploring the new camp. I really glad they provided a map. It was really helpful.

-    It was fun to learn the Roman names for all the gods and who their Greek counterparts were. It was also fun to see the difference between satyrs and fauns and the cyclopes. 

-    I really liked the new characters introduced. Hazel and Frank were great, but I'm really curious about Reyna. I hope there is more of her in the future.

-    Nico is back!!

-    Percy is a natural leader. He grew so much in the Percy Jackson and the Olympians series, so I'm glad the book focused on Percy helping Hazel and Frank find their strengths. 

-    I can't remember everything I wanted to say, but I really liked this one!

First Book in The Heroes of Olympus Series:

(cover is linked to my thoughts)

The Lost Hero

Goodreads Synopsis:    Jason has a problem. He doesn’t remember anything before waking up in a bus full of kids on a field trip. Apparently he has a girlfriend named Piper and a best friend named Leo. They’re all students at a boarding school for “bad kids.” What did Jason do to end up here? And where is here, exactly?

Piper has a secret. Her father has been missing for three days, ever since she had that terrifying nightmare. Piper doesn’t understand her dream, or why her boyfriend suddenly doesn’t recognize her. When a freak storm hits, unleashing strange creatures and whisking her, Jason, and Leo away to someplace called Camp Half-Blood, she has a feeling she’s going to find out.

Leo has a way with tools. When he sees his cabin at Camp Half-Blood, filled with power tools and machine parts, he feels right at home. But there’s weird stuff, too—like the curse everyone keeps talking about. Weirdest of all, his bunkmates insist that each of them—including Leo—is related to a god.

My Thoughts:

-    Hooray for more Percy Jackson/Camp Half-Blood books!!

-    I love how adventurous Rick Riordan's books are. They are so fun! I like that our heroes go on epic quests and meet different people from mythology.

-    I love how Riordan modernizes the old myths and people/gods.

-    I liked the new characters. They were fun to get to know better. Jason is a strong character. I can tell he is going to do some awesome things in the future. I wish there was a previous series about Jason and his team. Leo was really fun and quirky. I liked his humor, and I think he had the coolest powers. I liked Piper a lot. I didn't think I would, but I did. I felt like she had the biggest character growth.

-    I loved the mesh of Roman and Greek stuff. Brilliant!

-    More! More! I want more!

The Last Olympian

Goodreads Says:    All year the half-bloods have been preparing for battle against the Titans, knowing the odds of 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 Percy Jackson and the Olympians 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.

My Thoughts:

-    I listened to these books a while ago, and for some reason I don't remember a thing from the last couple of books! What is wrong with my memory!? Maybe I didn't listen close enough. I'm so glad I decided to read these. 

-     This story was different. It wasn't an adventure book. Instead, it was a huge battle with a lot of action! It was cool.

-    Percy has grown so much! He went from a scared little 12 year old to a war leader. I loved all the character arcs in these books. I wonder if I changed and grew a ton between 12 and 16.

-    This book was a fitting end to the series. I love how everything wrapped up. I especially liked the deal that Percy struck with the gods.

-    Like in all wars, there are casualties, and I really like how everyone honored the those who had fallen. I liked how the half bloods looked past certain things to honor their friends. It says a lot about them.

-    The action was awesome and tense at times. I loved all the battles and fighting.

-    This is one of my favorite in the series.

-    I'm so excited to read The Heroes of Olympus series!

Previous Books in the Series
(covers are linked)

  

The Battle of the Labyrinth

Goodreads Says:    Percy Jackson isn't expecting freshman orientation to be any fun. But when a mysterious mortal acquaintance appears on campus, followed by demon cheerleaders, things quickly move from bad to worse.
In this fourth installment of the blockbuster series, time is running out as war between the Olympians and the evil Titan lord Kronos draws near. Even the safe haven of Camp Half-Blood grows more vulnerable by the minute as Kronos's army prepares to invade its once impenetrable borders. To stop the invasion, Percy and his demigod friends must set out on a quest through the Labyrinth - a sprawling underground world with stunning surprises at every turn.

My Thoughts:

-    This isn't my favorite in the series, but I still liked it.

-    The drama between Percy and Annabeth is frustrating. Can they just get together already!?

-    The maze was a cool concept. It was scary and ominous, but since the characters were exploring a maze, there were some slow parts.

-    I liked all the cool monsters and awesome battle at the end.

-    Hooray for Tyson being back!

-    I liked that Rachel played a larger role. I had a feeling she would be back.

-    I really love that Percy is growing as a character, but I also love that all the other characters are growing as well, and some of them have more of a character arc than Percy even.

-    Daedalus was a cool and complicated character. I really liked him. 

-    I'm excited the final book! I want to know how the prophecy will be fulfilled and how our heroes will stop Kronos. The tension is rising!

Previous Books in the Series
(covers are linked)

  

The Titan's Curse

Goodreads Synopsis:    IT'S NOT EVERYDAY 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...

My Thoughts:

-    This is another great book in the series! They are so much fun to read. The characters and the story are great!

-    I liked meeting Artemis and her hunters. They added a whole new element to the story. I especially liked Zoe. She was a little pissy at times, but I her character had a lot of depth. I liked her back story a lot. 

-    I miss Tyson. I hope he has a bigger role in the next books.

-    I keep saying this, but I really like the modernized Greek mythology. It is too fun! This book had a bit of Jason and the Argonauts plus Hercules.

-    I want more scenes with the pegasi. They were funny.

-    Thalia is an interesting character. I wasn't sure what to expect from her. She reminds a little of Annabeth. I think she'll have a larger role to play in the future.

-    The writing style is so easy to read. It just flows. These books are just fun to read.  

Previous Books in the Series
(covers are linked)

 

The Sea of Monsters

Dust Jacket Says:    Percy Jackson's seventh grade year has been surprisingly quiet. Not a single monster has est foot on his New York prep-school campus. But when an innocent game of dodgeball among Percy and his classmates turns into a death match against an ugly gang of cannibal giants, tings get . . . well, ugly. And the unexpected arrival of Percy's friend Annabeth brings more bad news: the magical borders that protect Camp Half-Blood have been poisoned by a mysterious enemy, and unless a cure is found, the only safe haven for demigods will be destroyed.

In this fresh, funny, and hugely anticipated follow-up to The Lightning Thief, Percy and his friends must journey into the Sea of Monsters to save their beloved camp. But first, Percy will discover a stunning new secret about his family - one that makes him wonder whether being claimed as Poseidon's son is an honor, or simply a cruel joke. 

My Thoughts:

-    This was fun, funny, and adventurous!

-    I really like how Percy and Annabeth encounter a lot of the same things Odysseus from The Odyssey did. 

-    I like how modernized the old Greek mythology is, and I like how the author explains certain modern things as part of the mythology. 

-    Tyson was a great addition to the story. I really enjoyed his character. He made me laugh, and I kinda have a soft spot for under dogs.

-    We can start to see Percy growing as a hero, and I'm looking forward to more character development for him.

-    I know a fair amount of Greek mythology, and it makes the books more fun. I'm also glad the characters explains some of the stories that relate to their quest. I'm learning new things!

-    I think I liked this one a little more than the first book, and I'm excited for the next ones! 

Previous Book in the Series
(cover is linked)

Authorlink with Rick Riordan

One of the many reasons I LOVE LOVE LOVE The Provo Library is that they bring a lot of really awesome authors to town.  I love meeting authors and getting my books signed.  It is awesome!!

Sadly, Mr. Riordan didn't do a signing, so I didn't get to personally meet him or get my books signed, but it was still awesome!

I adore Courtney's costumes.  She always dresses up, and she always looks amazing/stunning/awesome/beautiful and everything in between.

 The slides he had to go with his speech were really fun.

This is him doing a reading from the first chapter of The Mark of Athena!

For more fun and some videos on this event, check out Suey's blog, It's All About Books.  She took some great footage.

p.s.  Sorry the pictures aren't very good.  I have a cheap camera and I still play with settings.