So we read these two immediately after finishing Percy Jackson and the Olympians, but in retrospect we should’ve (at a minimum) read Heroes of Olympus first. Derp. It wasn’t a huge deal, but Percy does reference characters and events from Heroes of Olympus in passing.
Chalice of the Gods: The stakes are much lower in this series, and even though Percy is 17, he still pretty much seems like the same Percy from the original series. Once again this is fantastic news for my 7yo & 8yo who have now both binged all 7 Percy Jackson books (and are waiting for book 8.) But for me it makes the Percy’s adventures start to seem a little episodic, but if you read the first series and wanted more Percy, Grover, & Annabeth, this series is for you!
Wrath of the Triple Goddess: My 7yo and 8yo have been loving this series so I’ve been trying to keep up with them, but I don’t like this trilogy as much as the original Five. The stakes are way lower, the quests seem episodic, and I don’t feel like we get a ton of character growth.
But if you love Percy Jackson, then you will probably love these. My 7 and 8yos certainly do. Four stars from me. Five from them, and they are happily reading Heroes of Olympus and Trials of Apollo while they wait for Percy’s Senior Adventures #3. Since there’s two of them and one of me, we’ll call it five stars here:
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
I mean, I get it, it’s hard not to love more Percy Jackson books.
So I told my 8yo I would buddy read this with him since I wanted him to get into the series because I thought it would be right up his alley.
Self-five because I was riigghhttt!!
He’s is now flying through book 3, and is LOVING it. And then my 7yo didn’t want to be left out, and he finished the audiobook yesterday and is very sad our hold on book 2 isn’t ready yet.
I finished today and I can firmly say I get the hype and I’m excited for book 2. A sassy demigod, loyal friends, the cool universe of Greek mythology, and lots of monsters? We are so in.
My husband (who is now also reading these books) better catch up because we’re totally liable to leave him behind!
Book Two:
I’ve been in a reading slump, so it’s been so fun to buddy read this series with my 8yo & 7yo! Honestly, I totally get the hype. This series is fast-paced, the voice pops, the characters are so easy to root for, and the world-building is chef’s kiss.
My 8yo has already finished all 7 Percy-POV books, & honestly just ask for Percy Jackson merch & more Rick Riordan books for his birthday. Even my 7yo is halfway into book 3, so I’ve got to catch up! And I’m so looking forward to it! Middle grade perfection recommended for all!
Book Three:
Another great entry to the series with more intensity, higher stakes, and great character/plot progression. Chef’s kiss.
Book Four:
(4.5/5) Really liked everything about the labyrinth, Percy’s adventures, and Nico’s development in this one… but I feel like Annabeth got short-changed here. I really wanted to see her wisdom shine in the labyrinth, but instead her jealousy really defined her throughout this one. Honestly though, I’ve really enjoyed listening to these as I get back into running, and I’m excited to read book 5!
Book Five:
(4.25/5)
So this series was interesting, because even though Percy Jackson is 16 at the end of the series, this book stayed squarely in the MG territory (rather than skewing into YA), which, honestly, is perfect for my elementary-school kids who are reading it.
But for me, personally, I think it would’ve been cool to see a little more growth from Percy over the five years. (Please keep in mind though, I love me some YA, and I am not the target audience here.) In general, this felt like another solid entry in the Percy Jackson series and we definitely got resolution on the plot threads that have been stretching through the series, but somehow it didn’t feel as epic as I guess I was expecting after all the build-up. And (heads up, unpopular opinion coming in), the chemistry between Percy & Annabeth wasn’t there for me. Their relationship seems high in jealousy content, and in general, I wish Annabeth had gotten more development throughout.
Also, maybe it’s because I’ve been on a Percy Jackson binge, but the narration was bugging me in this book. Hermes & Persephone’s voices didn’t seem to fit, and the mispronunciation of Hera’s name was killing me.
Overall though, my 7yo & 8yo absolutely LOVED this series, and it was super cool to be able to buddy read it with them. I loved the fast-pace and Percy’s voice, and they kept me seriously entertained as I get back into jogging.
Honestly, Nico de Angelo may be my favorite character and apparently there’s a series about him? So totally stoked for that. My 8yo says I have to also read the next two books, so I’ll be getting into those as well, but I think I’ll at least try to read a couple other books first.
(Side note though, we did also watch the show as my family, and my kids weren’t super jazzed about it. They were very disappointed it wasn’t EXACTLY as the books described word for word, and personally, I thought the shows had a darker vibe than the show. But it’d be hard to match the awesomeness of the books.)
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Chef’s Kiss. Worth the hype and a MG classic for a reason.
Picked this up on impulse at the recommendation of a friend who was also reading it.
What I liked: – A fun, paranormal flavor
What I didn’t like: – I just felt like there wasn’t a whole lot else that stood out for me here. I don’t even feel like I disliked anything in particular, but more like that it just didn’t stand out for me, and to me, a few of the plot points felt contrived.
Recommended for those looking for a light paranormal with friendly enemies-to-lovers and some spice.
⭐⭐⭐½
Eh, not really for me, but my friend liked it enough to recommend it, so it might be for you!
This may be my favorite series of all time, and though I read them a long time ago, when I saw that there were graphic novels and graphic audio adaptions, I knew I had to reread them.
Friends, here is my confession: I NEVER reread books. Honestly, I don’t think I have ever reread a book (other than to edit or revise it.) Judge me as you will, that’s just a fact.
But I absolutely LOVED diving into these again. I loved the graphic novels. Loved the graphic audio. However, please be aware that the graphic audiobooks are abridged, so they’re better for a reread than for your first read. Same with the graphic novels. Though they are wonderful, I don’t think they quite capture everything in the books. As a whole though, I found the series even better than I remembered, and I was so excited to learn the authors are planning on continuing it! I honestly cannot recommend these enough. Seriously one of my all time favorites.
Six glowing stars. The highest rating I can bestow, and I will absolutely consume every adaption of them in the future. TV SHOW PLEASE?!?!?!?
🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
Honestly, more people need to read these! I can’t believe they don’t get more attention!
Oh my goodddddd, I LOVED this book. Legitimately made me happy to be driving so that I could listen to it. Definitely one of my favorite reads of the year so far, and I will be recommending it so hard. If you want a cozy paranormal, whimsical magic, SO MUCH FOUND FAMILY (like, maybe one of the best executions of found family I’ve read ever? I’ll have to think about it), a brilliantly sweet & swoony Sunshine/Grump couple, and a lovable ensemble cast, dude, read this book. And the audiobook narration was absolutely delightful. I will definitely be looking to read more by Mandanna!
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
So good. Definitely going to be a top read of the year.
Whoa. I read this book in one sitting when I was exhausted and worn out with the world, and it was exactly the breath of fresh air I needed. Brimming with emotion, haunting in its symbolism, and unapologetically unique, this is the book I didn’t know I was looking for. Human Scars on Planet Skin meets you at the intersection of environmental devastation, overwhelming grief, and dogged restoration. It’s a story of the scars of both the world and those we carry with us. Of the things we cannot carry. Of our place in the balance of nature, life, death, and the other souls around us. Of the pain and process of healing, even in the face of unspeakable horror. Told through the eyes of a psychedelic mushroom and somehow comfortingly bizarre, this is a one-of-a-kind story for those looking for a visceral, heartfelt journey that takes you to the depths of despair while also highlighting the tenacity of hope in a lovable word that you can feel to your bones. Highly recommend.
Really enjoyed this one! I love Liane Moriarty’s writing style, and it’s always so awesome to see her weave so many different point-of-views from super different characters together. Super heartwarming with a mystical flare and poignant themes. I’ll definitely be recommending this one!
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I always love a good Liane Moriarty book. what can I say? I’m a fan.
Okay, so I read this book at the insistence of a family member, and I entered with a quite a bit of skepticism, but I found it thought-provoking. Autobiographical-flavored nonfiction is NOT my favorite for lots of reasons, but some thoughts and takeaways from me:
– I know many people that I consider to be trustworthy and reliable who have seen or experienced things they cannot explain, which is actually why a lot of this wasn’t big news to me
– The author describes many accounts/videos of people seeing or experiencing things they cannot explain
– I think the author brings up lots of concepts that are interesting from a purely speculative point of view
– Personally, I have always accepted that the universe is full of lots of things we don’t understand yet, and this book didn’t really change my perspective in any way.
– In general, regardless of the veracity of the claims in this book, the saga makes for a good story, and definitely made me consider a lot of “what-ifs.”
– At the end of the day, my big takeaway is if you do see a UAP (unidentified aerial phenomenon), I would stay away from it.
Overall, I found this an interesting read and would recommend if you’re curious about the subject or if you want to discuss with your friends. Regardless of what you believe may or may not be true, this author truly believes that the UAPs are not of this world, and is passionate about bringing those truths to light. Personally, I’m thankful for the progress that’s been made on de-stigmatizing the topic and hope we can all learn more in the future.
⭐⭐⭐⭐
Definitely thought-provoking, any way you look at it.
My favorite read of the year so far, and I can say without a doubt this will be on my top ten of 2025 list. This is now my go-to recommendation for any and all readers. The audiobook narration was also fabulous. This is a short review because I really don’t have anything to say but go read it. Six glowing stars, the highest rating I can give..
🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
So unbelievably good you all. I can’t wait to see what this author writes next!
A smart, techy sci-fi adventure with big Star Trek & Battlestar Galactica vibes & side of slowburn romance. Skyla was definitely my favorite POV, and I loved the idea of the connection with the ships. (Also, I loved that she had Fenrir – think big, epic doggo!) Definitely recommend for sci-fi fans looking for a space opera with big military & science elements.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
We definitely need more sci-fi romance in the world!
Hayley Reese Chow 