An Egyptian-Greek Mash-Up

When Carter and Percy came together to fight a monster, we thought it was a fluke. A fabulous fluke, mind you, but a fluke nonetheless. Now that Sadie and Annabeth have had to come together to fight a monster, the writing on the wall is clear. Something is going on to bring the Greek and the Egyptian worlds together, and it is scary. IN The Staff of Serapis by Rick Riordan, two beloved series connect once again in magic-wielding, monster fighting goodness. 

Annabeth can't catch a break. Just when she thinks things will be normal for a moment, a monster shows up. But something is wrong with this monster. Not that it has two very different heads and seems to be struggling to work together despite being connected. Nope. It is running away from her! Monsters don't run away from demigods! When she decides to follow it, she is surprised by something even stranger- a girl who can see the monster too! 

OK. I am really hoping all these short stories are leading up to a final Egyptian, Greek Cross-over series by Riordan. Seriously, dude. Don't hold out on us. We need the Kane's and the demigods together in one magnificent series, and we need it now! I don't even need to review this fabulous little short, because we all knew it was going to be awesome. But still, Rick, bro. Please? Give us what we want! Kanes meet demigods! And we want it NOW!

Chaos Isn't In the Stars

Life as a teen is hard enough, but when you are the daughter of Egyptian Gods, your life comes with a special set of issue. But for Isadora, life as a normal teen is like a fantasy more fantastical than actual mythology. In The Chaos of the Stars, Kiersten White combines modern day teens with ancient mythology for a fun and mystical story.

Isadora lives an easy enough life, if you don't count her goddess mother, dead, but undead, father, awkward brother and strange half-brother. As the mortal daughter of immortal God parents, she knows her time with them is limited. But time amongst the immortal is tricky. They live years as moments and she is tired of being ignored because her life is fleeting. When her mother chooses to get pregnant again, a necessary part of keeping herself alive is to produce heirs who will worship her, Isadora is almost happy when it means she is being sent to America to live with her brother. When her mother is pregnant, she is most vulnerable, so it would be safest for Isadora to be squirreled away someplace. 

Her brother Sirus is welcoming, but she was shocked to find him with a wife- a pregnant wife. To make matters worse, her mother's arms reach far from Egypt and get Isadora a job in a museum curating an exhibit of none other than Isis herself. Isadora wishes she had more distance from Egypt and everything in it, but at the museum she meets some great people- including a mysterious boy who writes epic poetry. While Isadora makes herself quite clear that she has no interest in romance, she can't help but think about Ry (Orion). Isadora starts to think she might just be able to have a normal life away from Eygpt... until Egypt finds her in San Diego.

Kiersten White has a way of writing stories in a very middle reader/YA hybrid kind of way. I don't think they follow into either category, but somewhere in between. For instance, they sound kind of young and feel kind of young, but I can picture young adult readers still enjoying their stories (in a much different way than they enjoy the books of Rick Riordan, for instance). It makes them both versatile and hard to place in an equally strange way! Some YA readers find them childish and some middle readers aren't ready yet. But they do have fairly good cross-over appeal, and make for fantastic reads for older, low-skilled readers or younger, high-skilled readers. 

I like White's stories, but in the Paranormalcy series, she lost me after the first book, which was really, really good. I am looking forward to the next project White works on, and would have loved to see where Isadora's story went, but at the same time, I am happy White plans to leave it as a stand-alone. I think it will do the story justice to not drag it out unnecessarily. For me the big reveal was not terribly surprising, but it was satisfying, nonetheless. This was a fun, interesting tweak on Egyptian mythology!

Even a Goddess Can't Escape Troy

No one is more petulant and used to getting their way than the Greek Gods. When a prophecy tells of a group of Scions or demigods overthrowing the gods, they can't stand to let that happen. But all Helen wants is to protect the ones she loves. In the stunning conclusion to Josephine Angelini's Starcrossed series, Goddess, the gods finally get a taste of their own medicine.

While the four houses of Scions have always remained divided and bitter, but their battle to find Atlantis and become immortal has reached new levels of violence. The prophecy of the Tyrant who will be their undoing has got everyone scared, even the gods. But Helen, Lucan, Orion and the other Scions know the house division is not something they can stand by and let happen anymore. They must come together in order to keep from repeating the same story over and over again. 

The Fates have recycled the story of Helen of Troy since it first began with the intention of changing the ending. When that doesn't happen, the story begins again in new Scions, hoping they will finally be the ones to overthrow their parents, the Greek Gods. Helen and the others are the next in line for those roles, but they refuse to let the cycle continue and let the gods win again. Instead, their teamwork and refusal to bow down to history might be the one thing that can change it. As the first Scions to bring all four houses together, they finally have a chance, but fighting a battle with the gods means great stakes and great consequences if they lose. They aren't willing to risk each other or their loved ones, but in a battle this great, that seems to be the only solution.

I have to say, this was a really fabulous series. And one of the most amazing character transformations had to be Helen. I always liked her, but the Helen by the end of the trilogy was so strong and powerful, yet not corrupted by her awe inspiring power. As the Scion who seemed to be more powerful than even she understood, it would have been all too easy to fall corrupt, but she never lost sight of those who mattered- her family and friends. And there is nothing more important to Helen than protecting innocent mortals who don't deserve to die as casualties of an ancient war they know nothing about. She was a fabulous leading lady, and I really enjoyed reading about her journey. 

This final book is very, very myth heavy. It delves heavily into historical and mythological stories, such as those of Helen of Troy all the way to Lancelot and Guinevere. Personally, I loved the historical flashbacks Helen experienced as she dreamt, but I can see where they might bog the story down for an unfamiliar reader. Still, they made the plot development so much more than just the story of a couple of kids in Nantucket. Instead, it became this large, almost mythological experience all on its own. I am sad to see the end of this great series, but I loved living through it over the past couple of years. I hope Angelini is writing furiously as we speak with an equally amazing new series, because I need something of hers to look forward to!

Carter Kane Meets Percy Jackson

Carter Kane has battled and won against Egyptian Gods and Goddesses. Percy Jackson has done the same with Greek Gods and Goddesses. If the Greek and Roman mythological figures and beasts can come together in The Heroes of Olympus, why can't Greek and Egyptian mythology come together? Well, speculate no further! In The Son of Sobek, Carter and Percy have to do the hardest thing two heroes can do- work together.

Carter is confident (somewhat) that he can handle the giant bedazzled crocodile that is terrorizing Long Island. That is, before it eats him. being squished inside the gullet of a giant crocodile isn't exactly his idea of a good time, but at least the croc was big enough to eat him in one gulp instead of biting him in half. While Carter is still trying to figure out what to do next, the croc spits him up, right in front of some strange kid. When it is clear the kid can see the croc, not some watered down version mortals would see, he realizes this is no normal boy. Together, Carter Kane and Percy Jackson must get rid of a crocodile that likes to munch on cars and can flatten a house. But there is something more disturbing going on. Something that would send an Egyptian monster right into the heart of Camp Half-Blood, thus bringing together Carter and Percy.

OK, I hate to speculate, but this felt like Riordan was setting up a massive new series that brought together Eyptian, Roman, and Greek mythology. *insert loony squeal here* I hope this really is the case and this wasn't just one lone short story, because nothing would be better than seeing everyone come together for a final series (because honestly, a world where there are no more Kane and Jackson novels to come out is just a world not worth living in!). This was a fabulous little story that gives you just enough of a tease to keep you sated until House of Hades comes out! So fingers crossed. Mr. Riordan, we want a series where they all come together and throw the world for a loop! Puh LEASE?!

Oh My Gods!

The Roman and the Greek camps have always been divided because the Gods and Goddesses themselves have been divided. In the third installment of The Heroes of Olympus called The Mark of Athena, Rick Riordan brings the biggest sections of the world's mythology together in a way no other author could.

Now that the two camps know about each other, New Rome and Camp Half-Blood, the group from Half-Blood travel to New Rome in an attempt to collect Percy Jackson, their missing hero. They suspect the Roman demigods will have to team up with the Greek demigods in order to keep evil Gaia from reforming and wreaking havoc on earth, but convincing two sides who have always hated one another to cooperate is harder than beating Medusa, or two disco giants, or crazed sea gods who collect monsters. When New Rome thinks the group of demigods has come to harm them, they attack Leo's ship and send the seven from the prophecy running to escape. 

Once they are out of range of New Rome's weapons, the group realizes they have a bigger mission than Gaia- Hazel's brother Nico has been trapped and is quickly running out of time before he suffocates. They must find two evil giants who work for Gaia in order to get him back, but that is easier said than done. meanwhile Annabeth must follow the Mark of Athena, but any children of Athena who have gone before her were lost forever, unsuccessful in their mission. With so much riding on this journey, including Nico's life, the demigods begin to feel the pressure of their mission. Will they get to Nico in time, or will saving the world require some sacrifice?

OK, it is absolutely no shock to anyone that anything Riordan writes is pure genius. If you made it this far, you are a total Riordan freak like myself and would read his grocery lists scribbled on old tissues if he let you. But there is more to  this series these days. So I won't convince you to read these books (because if you haven't already you are missing out!), but I will tell you about the interesting turns in this book.

First, I loved how the mission became so much more serious. There were always issues with death and near death experiences, but the seriousness of this particular mission tangled with the relationships that have formed amongst the group make the stakes much higher. And Percy Jackson, who was missing from the first part of the series, really evolves in this book. He feels left out when other demigods go to speak to the ancient sea gods and is resentful of his inability to help the group. It was a realistic portrayal of this group's age and dynamic, and I think it really drove the series to a place it has never been until now: maturity. It has been fun (hilarious actually), educational (although is getting my mythology from these books like getting my news from the Daily Show?!), and exciting, but these books have always been a little young. Now they are growing up, and you had better get to them before they are gone! 

Athena Won't Know What Hit Her

Greek Mythology is so full of interesting stories and characters. The Gods alone are full of material to play off and manipulate into new stories with familiar faces. Kelly Keaton did just that with her first book, Darkness Becomes Her where Athena was an almighty beast of a Goddess who had no problem torturing and killing beings for her own enjoyment. Now, in A Beautiful Evil, we watch Ari, a gorgon girl who hasn't yet come into her own, give Athena a run for her money.


Now that Ari knows what she truly is, the mixture of a gorgon (offspring of Medusa) and Son of Perseus (hunters sworn to kill gorgons and other magical monsters), she realizes how unique she really is. But her impending doom of soon becoming a monster who cannot even be touched without turning people to stone is not what troubles Ari... It is the fact that Athena has her father and Violet, one of the kids who took her in when she found herself in the destroyed Garden District of New Orleans. Ari knows she is no match for a God like Athena, but that won't stop her from hunting Athena down.


Sebastian and the rest of the kids who live with Ari are determined to find Athena, but they have to do so with the help of the Novem, the elite of magical folks who own and run the city of New Orleans. Ari is granted access to the secret library which is stored in Pandora's Box (but not really a box) and holds the secrets of the universe. It is there that she gets the idea of locating Athena's temple and hitting her where it hurts, but the only problem is, the entry to her temple isn't so easy to locate or to open. Hidden in the middle of the wasteland of beasts and soulless creatures of New Orleans, the location of the door might be just as dangerous as what lies on the other side. But there is only one way for Ari to get her father and Violet back, and she has no intention of leaving them to Athena's murderous rage. Even if it means releasing the gorgon inside her.


I really loved the first story, Darkness Becomes Her, but this sequel fell a little flat for me. I did like it, but not as much as I liked the first book. At times the story seemed incredibly rushed. A character would be attacked and die in the course of four paragraphs and *poof* just like that the action had moved on around them. The pace of the book left me a little confused at times, and more than a little frustrated at other times. The way things ended in the final showdown(s) was also symptomatic of this bizarre pacing and I had to reread it to make sure I understood everything that had happened. My other criticism was the supporting characters. In the first book, they were just as awesome as Ari, and you couldn't get enough of them. In this book, they really are secondary characters and their charm is lost in how rarely they appear. I am not sure if I want this series to continue to a third book after reading this sequel, but the author definitely left it open for another book.


This series is age appropriate for young adults and has a good heft of choice language. The story lost its way a little in this second installment, but if a kid enjoyed the first book, they would most likely still enjoy this one. The mythology in it is interesting and I love the twists on old "tried and true" stories. The reading level is fairly simple, but combined with the language, it might be best for a low-skilled older student who needs something accessible to read. 

Two God-Filled Worlds Collide

What do you get when you mix Greek Gods with Roman Gods? One big, fantabulous mess of mythological fun! When you pick up the Heroes of Olympus: Son of Neptune, by Rick Riordan, you will expect to hear about the characters from the first book in the series. But Riordan has a plan... a plan that will make you obsess about the next book a whole year! Riordan is a masterful, evil genius who keeps us engrossed and makes us love his characters like they are our own friends and relatives.

Juno (Roman Hera) had an interesting plan- put a Roman demigod in the Greek camp (Jason) and a Greek demigod in the Roman camp (Percy). What she did next was mean, but it served its purpose- she wiped their memories. In The Lost Hero, we watched Jason find his purpose. In this book, we see Percy meet up with two Roman demigods, Frank and Hazel, to start their part of the quest to stop Gaia from rising. Gaia, the oldest mother goddess of the earth is one mean cookie who will send everything to stop the demigods from foiling her plan to return- mean cyclops, basilisks, even creepy little grain gods. (Imagine being stalked by the God of Wheat?!)

While they know they have a greater purpose, both Hazel, a daughter of Pluto and the underworld, and Frank, a reluctant son of Mars (Ares) still have their own demons to deal with. They embark upon a quest to stop Gaia's first giant son from returning, but they know the Roman camp is still in danger. along their quest, they learn just how dangerous things have gotten out in the mythological and the modern worlds. With monsters and beast roaming around searching for them, they aren't sure they will get their quest finished, let alone get back in time to stop the raid on the camp. But what Gaia and the monsters failed to realize is that Percy and the demigods have friends, lots and lots of friends. Will they defeat the monsters this time? Will it stop Gaia's plot to destroy the Greek and Roman gods forever?

I picked up this book expecting to see Jason, Piper, and Leo, and I was surprised (although not unpleasantly) that this book was not about them. With this new trio, I expect the six will come together with another demigod (Annabeth?) to create the seven from the prophecy that save the world from Gaia. The worst thing about these stories is that a year in between each installment is literally painful. They are so tied to one another that it is awful to wait that long to find out what happens next. I have a feeling I know where Riordan is going with this, but you never know! Ole Ricky is a tricky duck!

Like the other Riordan books, these are phenomenal for all ages. Perfect for middle readers, funny enough for older readers, even my grandmother loves these books! Everything written by this man should be on the selves of every library and classroom in the country. They are so accessible, exciting, and hilarious, they make the perfect go-to book for any struggling or strong reader. Not to mention, it makes everyone wish they were a demigod. Who would you want to be related to? Neptune? Pluto? Hera? Aphrodite? I simply can't decide!

You Had Me at "Camp-Halfblood"

Oh, Rick Riordan, you are a God yourself. Or at least a demigod! Your books are amazing, they suck me in so quickly I have to save them for long weekends, and I really wish I was a demigod (without the monsters of course). I am not sure which God or Goddess I'd like to belong to, but I know I wouldn't want to belong to Hades- what a creeper! My only complaint? Why in all of Mount Olympus can't you save all your books in a series and release them together?! I really can't wait a whole year for the next book!

After the amazing conclusion of the Percy Jackson and the Olympians series, Riordan has created another little gem, The Heroes of Olympus. The first book in the series, Lost Heroes, doesn't disappoint. It is full of Greek myths, some Roman mythology for good measure, sprinkled with some familiar characters like Annabeth, Chiron and our favorite Gods and Goddesses (in all their ridiculous glory). While Percy Jackson may not be present, his mysterious disappearance is still in the background as some of the heroes go off to find him. The focus of the story, though, is three demigods who are thrown together in a Hail Mary attempt to save the Gods from the new threat brewing. Percy may have finished off the Titans in the first series, but he really ticked of their mother, the Earth mother Gaia herself, and she can be one mean old lady.

Now Jason, Piper, and Leo, all demigods with special circumstances and powers, must go on a quest to find Piper's kidnapped father, find out why Jason's memory has been wiped, and stop whatever is threatening the Gods. Unfortunately, there are plenty of saucy or wicked Gods and spirits out their to derail their quest. Can they find the kidnapped Goddess in time to save her and stop Gaia from awaking? Should they trust each other? What the heck is up with creepy mud giants?!

This was an amazing first installment to this new series. I loved having a new series with new main characters, but familiar ties to places like Camp Halfblood and characters from the first series made it seem like an extension of the first series- it was the best of both worlds!! Since the Percy Jackson books are not terribly long, if a student made it through the five books in that series, this would be the next graduated step. Topping out at over 550 pages, it is like two Percy Jackson books in one, but the mutual characters and setting along with fun new themes and quests make it an exciting new adventure. The writing style and skill level is the same as the first series, relatively accessible for a middle school student through high school (especially for low-skilled high school students because it is still fun and exciting- not at all juvenile). Give Jason, Piper, and Leo a chance- you won't be sorry!

Percy Jackson is MY Hero!

I am sure you have all seen the trailer for the movie of the first installment of Percy Jackson and the Olympians, by Rick Riordan. It looks exciting, action packed, and who can resist Greek Gods and Heroes?! But I have something to important to tell you... I haven't yet seen the movie of course, but I am SURE the books are BETTER. Not only better, mind you. Perhaps even Mind-Blowing! Earth-Shattering! These books are simply addictive.

The first book, The Lightning Thief, is about a young boy who bounces from school to school thanks to the trouble that always seems to follow him. It also doesn't help that he is dyslexic and has ADHD. Then, something mysterious happens while he is on a short vacation with his mother- monsters seem to be following him! A minotaur to be exact! Percy and his friend Grover survive the Minotaur attack by the skin of their teeth and find themselves at Camp Half-Blood. There, Percy finds out he is actually a demigod- the son of a Greek God. And once he is claimed by his father, Poseidon, he finds out he carries a great burden. Percy must stop a battle of the Gods by recovering Zeus' lightning bolt. In this hilarious, action-packed first installment you learn to love all the half-bloods and their mythical friends like the naiads, satyrs, and centaurs.

In the second book, The Sea of Monsters, you find Percy and Annabeth off to save their satyr buddy, Grover, when he finds himself trapped with a scary Cyclops who wants to make Grover his wife. When they arrive at the Cyclops' lair, they realize he has the Golden Fleece- the only thing that can heal the Thalia Tree which protects the boundaries of Camp Half-Blood from monsters and mortals alike. Battling flesh-eating sheep, a half-blind cyclops with an attitude, and learning about his interesting new sibling, Percy's adventures continue to keep you hooked and laughing.

The Titan's Curse continues the amazing tales of Percy, Grover, Tyson, and Annabeth. With another Half-Blood definitely stirring the ancient pot to get revenge on his wayward father, the group must find a way to slow down the raising of the Titan Kronos. This includes saving two new Half-Bloods, losing Annabeth (but to where they have no idea), and coming across the Goddess Artemis and her Hunters- beautiful, immortal pre-teen girls with a silvery glow and arrows that could nail a fly at 50 paces. Don't forget the creepy General and his forces at the Hoover Dam!

The Battle of the Labyrinth really heats up the stories as Percy and his friends are forced to enter The Labyrinth- Daedalus' masterpiece that is full of monsters, tricks, prisons, and any number of ways to torture or imprison a demigod. Unfortunately, the demigod turned evil Titan-raiser, Luke, has been sending spies to navigate the Labyrinth. And now the demigods know why- there is an entrance to the Labyrinth right in the middle of Camp Half-Blood. If Luke's forces can find it, they won't have to worry about crossing the Camp's magical boundaries because they will pop out right in the middle of the camp. So Percy and the group set off to find Daedalus and seek his help, but they bite off more than they can chew with this excursion.

And finally, The Last Olympian sails the series home with an amazing final chapter in Percy Jackson's story. The battle of Manhattan has come and Percy and the Half-Bloods are the only thing standing between the Titan army and Mount Olympus (which is conveniently perched atop the Empire State Building). With the Gods all fighting the Titan Typhon as he tears his way across the country headed straight for New York, the heroes are the only hope to saving the era of the Gods. But with the Ares cabin refusing to fight, the demigod's seriously depleting from defecting heroes going to the Titan's side, and a whole host of strange prophecies, visions, and dreams, this is going to be a battle no one will ever forget- unless of course the Mist does its job!

These books are quite simply amazing. Every review I have read or blog I have perused makes the same comparison to Harry Potter, but I think that cheapens the greatness of these novels. They are amazing, and by Gods! They can stand on their own! And how great is it that the books explain all the demigods' ADHD and dyslexia as being a side-effect of being a demigod who is always ready for action and heroism and can read Greek better than English?! I literally couldn't put these books down, and have taken it upon myself to get as many people to read them as possible- you won't be sorry! Well, you will be sad when you finish the fifth book of course, because you want more- but you won't be sorry you read them! Bring Percy, Grover, Tyson, Annabeth, and all the other Gods, creatures and characters into your life- the Gods are telling you to!