The Blood of Olympus (The Heroes of Olympus #5) by Rick Riordan

Goodreads

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.

Amazon

Obviously I had to read this book right after I finished House of Hades. I needed to know how this was going to wrap up. As a whole, I really liked this book! There were somethings that I didn't like, but I was pretty happy with this book. 

One of my biggest issues with this book was the POV selections. I wish would could have seen from all seven of the demigods (the ones from the prophecy). I think I would have felt more satisfied with this being the last book in the series if we got to read from all of their perspectives. I liked seeing Reyna's POV, because it was really cool to learn more about her. However, I would have given up her POV in a heartbeat to read the POV of Hazel, Frank, Percy, or Annabeth one last time. ESPECIALLY ANNABETH OR PERCY. I just felt like something was missing from this book because we didn't get to read from the POV of those four characters. They almost felt like side characters instead of main characters in this book. 

However, I absolutely loved reading from Nico's POV. That was a great addition to the POVS. I have always had a soft spot for Nico, and this book made me love him even more. I really enjoyed learning more about him and seeing him grow as a character. By the end of the book, I was shipping him so hard with a certain character (which I won't name because of spoilers). I think most people ship Nico with that person now. I really hope to see development of that relationship in a future series. *cough* Trials of Apollo *cough*

The action in this book was not lacking! Rick always manages to write heart stopping action in his books. The two big battles in this book were EPIC. I loved those scenes! They were probably some of my favorite parts of this book.

I was happy with the place that all of the characters were at by the end of this book (OMG MY BABY LEO). I would have liked to have read a chapter from each character at the end of this book. I think that would have made this book feel more complete. I am hoping to have some of my questions answered in Rick's new series that is coming out in 2016. 

I am so sad to part with these characters. I grew attached to every character in this series. LEO, NICO, PERCY, ANNABETH, PIPER, HAZEL, FRANK, JASON, AND REYNA. I WANT MORE OF THEM. I WANT MORE BOOKS WITH THEM. I DON'T WANT TO EVER LEAVE THEM. 

I think the hardest characters to say goodbye to are Percy and Annabeth. We have been through so much with them. I don't want to leave them. This is just too hard.

Overall, I enjoyed this book. I didn't exactly wrap up the series like I wanted to, but it was still a good book! NOW GIVE ME THE TRIALS OF APOLLO *grabby hands*

4 / 5 Fangs

The House of Hades (The Heroes of Olympus #4) by Rick Riordan

Goodreads

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. 

Amazon

Holy Hades...I am honestly lost for words. This book was so freaking good that I can't even figure out what to write in this review. I just want to fangirl over everything that happened, but I don't want to write any spoilers. THE STRUGGLE.

I will make this short and spoiler free. This book has been my favorite book in this series. Everything about this book was just so amazing! The characters, the plot, the action, the humor, the romance, AND JUST EVERYTHING WAS GREAT. I never wanted this book to end. My heart exploded in pain and in joy so many times in this book. 

I felt like all of the characters grew a lot in this book, which was so great to see. I really enjoyed the development of the romances and the friendships in this book. I think everyone is finally realizing their full potential and they are even more badass than before. 

I could go on and on about how much I adored this book. If for some weird reason you haven't read this book yet then YOU NEED TO GO READ IT NOW. 

5 / 5 Fangs

The Mark of Athena (The Heroes of Olympus #3) by Rick Riordan

Goodreads

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.... 

Amazon

OH MY LANTA. THAT WAS FANTASTIC. THERE WERE SO MANY THINGS THAT HAPPENED IN THIS BOOK THAT I CAN'T EVEN THINK STRAIGHT. 

This book was exciting and addicting, which I expected from Rick. It was so nice to finally see Annabeth and Percy reunite. I absolutely adore them together, and my shipper heart was exploding with happiness to see them together again. Of course, a lot of bad things happen to them, but I always have faith that Percy and Annabeth will make it through.

I also really liked reuniting with the other characters as well. It was so nice to see all seven of the demigods finally come together in this book. The standout character in this book was definitely Annabeth. Annabeth has always been an awesome character, but she somehow became even more badass in this book. I have never admired a character more than I admire her. 

Rick filled this book with action and twists that made it impossible for me to put down this book. I seriously could not stop reading because each chapter completely captivated me. The quests in this book made me so anxious. I was constantly worried about the characters, especially Annabeth. There was no way I was putting this book down until I knew what the outcome of the quests were.

AND THEN THE ENDING HAPPENED AND I DIED. I COULD NOT BELIEVE THE ENDING. I WANTED TO SCREAM. THANK GOODNESS I ALREADY HAVE HOUSE OF HADES BECAUSE THAT ENDING WAS NOT COOL RICK.

5 / 5 Fangs

The Son of Neptune (The Heroes of Olympus #2) by Rick Riordan

Goodreads

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.

Amazon

Let me start off my saying: PERCY IS BACK PERCY IS BACK PERCY IS BACK PERCY IS BACK THANK GOODNESS. 

Okay, so I was so happy to have Percy back, but I was sad that the characters from The Lost Hero were not in this book. I actually liked Piper, Jason, and Leo more than the new characters that we got in this book. The new main characters were Hazel and Frank. Now, I don't dislike those characters, I just liked the other characters more. It took me longer to warm up to Hazel and Frank. The backstories for Hazel and Frank felt a little slow at times even though they had interesting information. The backstories were necessary for the plot, but I wish they weren't as dull. However, by the end of the book, I did feel more connected to Hazel and Frank because I understood their where they came from. 

This book was a lot of fun, and I thought the quest that Percy went on was super exciting. I actually enjoyed the plot/quest in this book more than I did in The Lost Hero. I really loved reading about the adventures that the characters went on in this book. 

The ending crushed me, because it ended on a cliffhanger! I wanted more! I don't know how people were able to wait for the next book. I am so excited that I already own The Mark of Athena, because I cannot wait to see what happens next for Percy and all of his friends. 

4.5 / 5 Fangs

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

Goodreads

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 about his being in trouble. Piper doesn’t understand her dream, or why her boyfriend suddenly doesn’t recognize her. When a freak storm hits during the school trip, 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, and some camper who;s gone missing. Weirdest of all, his bunkmates insist that each of them—including Leo—is related to a god. Does this have anything to do with Jason's amnesia, or the fact that Leo keeps seeing ghosts?

Amazon

Wow. Okay, I was not expecting some of things to happen......dang. That was a great book.

This book didn't have a lot of Percy, which was really disappointing. However, I found myself becoming really attached to the new set of characters that were introduced in this book. I liked that each character had their own unique personality and skill set that really added to the group. My only issue with the new characters was that I wish they would have stopped keeping secrets from each other!

I was worried that not having Percy in this book was going to ruin my enjoyment of the book, and I am glad it didn't. I definitely missed Percy, but I have a feeling we will see him in future books! My favorite character in this book was Leo, by far. I thought Leo was adorable, funny, loyal, and just a great addition to this series. 

I thought the plot was addictive and compelling as all of the other books from the original Percy Jackson series. Rick did a great job of weaving in humor and heart into a suspenseful and action packed book. He presented the information about the Greek and Roman mythology in such an interesting and fun way. His writing never disappoints me. 

4-4.5 / 5 Fangs