The Sea of Monsters

by Rick Riordan

Everyone loves these books so much I almost feel guilty giving it only 4 stars. Once again, this second book in the Percy Jackson series is inventive and clever. The way the characters from Greek mythology are woven into modern-day life and geography and such is probably one of the most interesting parts.

I can't really put my finger on what's keeping my from giving it a 5-star rating, but I just don't find myself raving on and on about it and recommending it to everyone I know. So, logically I can say that the story is great, but I'm just not giddy about it yet.

The Lightning Thief

by Rick Riordan

In Rick Riordan's wildly popular series Percy Jackson & The Olympians, which begins with The Lightning Thief, 13-year old Percy discovers that his dad is actually a Greek god. Suddenly all of Percy's school lessons on Zeus and Hades, Athena and Ares have come to life, and he is in the middle of a fierce battle brewing between the gods.

I like the concept of this book. Despite being based off centuries-old stories, it's entirely original. The way the author describes the gods is unique and quite often humorous. Percy is likable, although entirely too trusting and sometimes the fact that he doesn't catch on that he's about to walk into a trap is frustrating. However, I can forgive this since he's only supposed to be 13. A promising start to a new series. Hopefully I will have less distractions and be able to read the next one a bit quicker.

Oh, and here's an exciting tidbit: This date marks the one-year mark since starting this blog. In that time I have read and blogged about 78 books!