The Last Olympian by Rick Riordan

The battle Percy has been dreading is about to begin. The cruise ship carrying Kronos and his minions approaches New York, while the titan Typhon is havocing his way across the continent to meet Kronos at the gates of Olympus. Percy, Annabeth, Grover, and all the other inhabitants of Camp Half-blood are on the alert and preparing to defend their divine parents. But there's a mole at the camp, someone giving the enemy critical information, and even worse (in Percy's opinion) is that the Great Prophecy is predicting a truly terrible 16th birthday. I mean, who wants their soul reaped the day they turn 16?

I've finally read it. The finale of the Percy Jackson and the Olympians series by Rick Riordan has come and gone, and I remain. But seriously, it feels good to catch up with the story, since I'm already halfway through the next series, The Heroes of Olympus. In The Last Olympian, you have the culmination of several plotlines: the war between the Olympians and the Titans, the rivalry of Percy and Luke, the revelation of the Great Prophecy, and the resolution of the Annabeth-Percy-Rachel love triangle. It's a lot of threads to tie up, or cut, as the Fates decide, but Rick Riordan gets the job done.

Fire and Hemlock by Diana Wynne Jones

Polly's having trouble remembering. For some reason, she seems to have two conflicting sets of memories, memories which lead back to meeting Tom Lynn at Hunsdon House on Hallowe'en. Something strange happened to her as a teenager, something tied to the make-believe stories she and Tom created about Tan Coul and his assistant, Hero. Something about them coming true.

Diana Wynne Jones's books often straddle age groups. Much like the Harry Potter series, her Castle and Chrestomanci books are written for children or young adults, but can easily be enjoyed by adults. The same is true of Fire and Hemlock, which is a coming-of-age story. But Fire and Hemlock, on the other hand, is definitely not written for children. It's the story of a young adult for adults. And it's wonderful.

The Mark of Athena by Rick Riordan

Annabeth, Jason, Piper, and Leo have arrived at Camp Jupiter in the Argo II. The Roman demigods, newly victorious after their battle against the giants, are wary of the Greek demigods, and for good reason. Misunderstandings between the two groups have led to battles and even wars in the past. Percy, Hazel, and Leo must try to focus the Romans on their common enemy: Gaea and the giants, before strife can erupt against the Greeks. And, as usual, there's a terrible prophecy to contend with:

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.

But Annabeth has a prophecy of her own to worry about, one that may tear the two camps apart.

Suggested book for August 2013

The Lady of the Rivers by Philippa Gregory

Jacquetta has heard the story of Melusina, a river goddess who fell in love with a human man, many times as a child. It is said her family is descended from Melusina, and that the eldest girl of each generation is blessed with some of Melusina's power. In Jacquetta's case it seems to be true: sometimes she can foresee. And while Jacquetta is a beautiful young woman from a powerful family in English-controlled France, it is her power that attracts the most powerful man in France: John, Duke of Bedford. But not all are as accepting of Jacquetta's unique gifts, especially when her friendship with the unpopular queen thrusts her into a prominent place at the English court.

The Lady of the Rivers (Book 3 in the Cousins' War series) by Phillipa Gregory is a story of romance and intrigue at the English court at the beginning of the Wars of the Roses, known then as the Cousins' War. Pick it up for the history, enjoy it for the magic, and read it again for characters.

View my suggested books by Phillipa Gregory

Suggested book for July 2012

The Mists of Avalon by Marion Zimmer Bradley

At Tintagel castle, Morgaine spends her days in the company of her mother and aunt, until the fateful day her mother is introduced to the new king, Uther Pendragon. Their meeting ignites a conflict between Uther and Morgaine's father, Gorlois, than culminates in Gorlois's death and the conception of Morgaine's half-brother, Arthur Pendragon. Follow Morgaine and the other women of Camelot, as they discover the wonders of Avalon, the intrigues of a Christian court, and the atrocities of war.

I first picked up The Mists of Avalon by Marion Zimmer Bradley because it had the word Avalon on the cover, and a lovely picture of a woman holding a sword. When I started reading, I discovered a version of Arthurian legend told through the eyes of its women. It's difficult to adequately describe the feeling I get when I read this book: I feel transported. This story takes the reader to a world that most people consider male-dominated, and shows readers the important, even magnificent, roles that women might have played. Of course, this is a fictitious story, and I don't actually believe that the ladies of Avalon had any kind of mystical power, or that Avalon even existed. But this story has a way of grabbing you, and like Tehanu by Ursula K. Le Guin, forcing you to see the integrity and import of women's lives, even when they're doing such mundane activities as carding wool, spinning, or sewing.

View my suggested books by Marion Zimmer Bradley

The Mists of Avalon

The Battle of the Labyrinth by Rick Riordan

It's the day before Percy leaves for Camp and he's already being attacked by monster-cheerleaders. He fights them off and escapes with the help of Rachel Elizabeth Dare, a mortal who can see through the Mist. Annabeth's not happy about their new friendship, and gives Percy the cold shoulder when they get to Camp. He doesn't have much time to ponder her response before he, Annabeth, Grover, and Tyson are sent on a quest to find Daedalus, the creator of the Labyrinth, before Luke and his cronies do. An attack on Camp Half-blood by Kronos's army is imminent, and finding Daedalus may be the only way to save it. But Annabeth has been given a secret prophecy, and refuses to share it in its entirety. All Percy knows is that the last line rhymes with breath, and he's pretty sure its not "meth."

The Titan's Curse by Rick Riordan

Life takes another turn for the worse for Percy during a run-in with a manticore. The manticore's target is two young demigods, and during the battle, he reveals some disturbing new information about Kronos's growing army. The hunters of Artemis turn up just in time to save Percy, Grover, and Thalia, but Annabeth disappears with the retreating manticore, and the heroes are forced to return to Camp Half-blood without her. A quest is quickly dispatched to find Artemis, who's gone awol since the manticore battle (Annabeth is presumed dead). Rejected from the quest team, Percy trails them in secret, hoping to find Annabeth on the way. It becomes progressively clearer that Artemis is in the West, and that her disappearance is tied to Kronos's gathering army and its new General.

The Sea of Monsters by Rick Riordan

Percy Jackson returns to Camp Half-blood after narrowly escaping some cannibal giants. His second summer is shaping up to be as exciting as his first, since the magical barrier protecting Camp Half-blood from all the monsters of the mythological world has been badly damaged. Not to mention the fact that Chiron has been replaced as camp director by Tantalus, a doomed soul from Tartarus who seems to have it in for Percy. To top it all off, Percy starts dreaming that Grover has been kidnapped by a cyclops who has matrimonial leanings. Teamed up with Annabeth and the newest member of Camp Half-blood, Tyson, Percy has a lot to get done in a short time.

The Son of Neptune by Rick Riordan

In this sequel to The Lost Hero, Percy Jackson finds himself battling his way to California, to join the Roman demigods at Camp Jupiter. Like Jason Grace in the preceding book, Percy has amnesia, but he quickly finds acceptance among the Roman legions at Camp Jupiter. He, a young daughter of Pluto, Hazel Levesque, and a son of Mars, Frank Zhang, realize that Gaea is waking and poses a terrible threat to the demigods and all humanity. They are assigned a quest to travel to Alaska to free Death and return the legion's lost eagle. Along the way, they'll each have to battle their own personal demons as they fight not only to save Camp Jupiter, but to find redemption.

The Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan

Percy Jackson is your typical pre-teen misfit: awkward, isolated, and relatively angst-filled. He's just been kicked out of  school. He doesn't get along with his stepfather. He's got mild dyslexia and ADHD. And occasionally, he gets picked on by bullies. But there are good things in his life too: his mom; his friend, Grover; and his Latin teacher, Mr. Brunner. It's learning about Greek mythology that Percy likes best. Unfortunately, things get a little too real when his math teacher transforms into a Fury and tries to kill him. Thus begins Percy's introduction into the world of Camp Half-blood, a summer camp for the children of gods.

The Lost Hero by Rick Riordan

Jason wakes up in the back of a school bus with no memory. Everyone around him knows who he is, including his closest friend Leo, and and his girlfriend Piper. When they are attacked by storm spirits, he, Leo, and Piper are launched into the world of gods and demigods, finding a place for themselves at Camp Half-blood. But for a reason Jason can't explain, he feels like he doesn't quite belong. Nevertheless, they all discover the secret of their parentage and a dire threat to the gods, demigods, and humanity alike.  Together they set off on a quest to restore Jason's memories and stop the destruction they believe is about to unfold.