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.

Suggested Book for September 2013

Charmed Life
by Diana Wynne Jones

Cat Chant is downright depressed when he and his sister Gwendolyn are sent to live with the enchanter Chrestomanci. It's a much more comfortable life, of course; Chrestomanci is wealthy and lives on a beautiful estate, and Gwendolyn can study witchcraft with superior teachers, but it's a very different life from the one Cat is used to, and he's not happy about it. Gwendolyn, of course, has ideas of her own as to what their new life should be like. And if she doesn't get her way, things could get distinctly uncomfortable for everyone.

Charmed Life by Diana Wynne Jones is the first book in the Chrestomanci series. It introduces readers to a world like our own, but suffused with magic and strange creatures. It's a wonderfully silly and fun book, suitable for all ages. If you enjoyed the world of wizards and muggles in Harry Potter, you'll be sure to love the world of Chrestomanci.

View my suggested books by Diana Wynne Jones

Charmed Life

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.

Voices by Ursula K. Le Guin

Once, Ansul was a light of reason and education on the Western Shore. But, for the past seventeen years, it's been occupied by the Alds of the western desert. They, believing that all writing is a sin and a form of devil-worship, destroyed Ansul's library and university. The occupied population has resorted to hiding their remaining books, often finding ways to bring them secretly to the house of Arcamand, where the old Waylord of Ansul resides. Memer is a resident of the house of Arcamand. Since she was a small child, she's had the secret ability to enter a hidden room in the house, and enjoyed nothing more than spending time with the books there. When the Waylord discovers her ability to enter the room, he begins to teach her to read and write, and to appreciate the written word in all its forms. But trouble is brewing in Ansul, and subterranean whispers for liberty break the surface when Orrec Caspro, the great poet and orator, arrives in Ansul, seeking the lost books of the old university.

Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins

Katniss Everdeen has returned home to District 12, after winning the Hunger Games with fellow tribute Peeta Mellark. Her life returns to normal, for the most part: she's living with her mother and sister, albeit in a big, fancy house in the Victor's Square; she hunts with Gale, although their relationship is newly awkward; and she doesn't see much of Peeta, and is not sure what to think of that. But as the Victor's Tour approaches, Katniss receives a terrifying visit from President Snow himself. He warns her that her feigned love for Peeta hasn't convinced the population of the districts, and that they now stand at the edge of revolt, emboldened by her own actions during the Hunger Games. She has to convince the people of the districts that she's truly in love with Peeta, or the people she does love will suffer the consequences.

The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins

Ever since the unsuccessful rebellion of the thirteen districts against Panem's government, tributes from each of the remaining twelve districts have been required to participate in the Hunger Games. Every year, one boy and one girl from each district are randomly selected to fight to the death in a carefully controlled environment. In the 174th Hunger Games, Katniss Everdeen volunteers as the tribute in place of her sister Prim. Katniss travels to the Capitol with fellow tribute Peeta, to participate in a televised event that will undoubtedly claim both their lives.

I watched the film version of The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins first, and found it to be lacking in emotional tension. I was hoping for something a little more intense in the book. Unfortunately, that didn't pan out, but reading the book did help me better understand Katniss's character. What I took for a flat plot and lack of acting chops in the movie turns out to the result of a staggeringly rational and humourless protagonist. She's naive and confused for most of the book, but her thoughts are described so thoroughly that readers can't help but relate to her.

Suggested Book for May 2012

Sabriel by Garth Nix

After finishing school in Northern Ancelstierre, Sabriel must leave the life she's known behind and enter the Old Kingdom to search for her missing father. The Old Kingdom may be the place of her birth, but it's strange and full of dangerous magic, and of course, the Dead. Charter magic-trained she may be, but Sabriel is unprepared for the trials that face a budding Abhorsen. Chased by powerful Dead creatures and armed only with the bells of a necromancer and the advice of a Free Magic cat, Sabriel journeys north to find her father and the source of a terrible new power that threatens Life.

Sabriel is the first book in the Abhorsen series by Garth Nix. It's high fantasy at its best, in my opinion. I always find myself immediately drawn into the enthralling world of Charter Magic, Free Magic, and Necromancy, unable to put the books down until I've finished the series (usually in a single weekend).

View my suggested books by Garth Nix

Sabriel

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.

Suggested book for April 2012

 Alanna: 
The First Adventure 
by Tamora Pierce

Alanna of Trebond wants to be a knight. But, her father intends to send her to the convent to learn to be a lady and wife. With the help of the village healing woman and her man-at-arms, Alanna trades places with her twin brother: he will travel to the convent and study sorcery, while she will go the castle as "Alan" and train to be a knight. In the first book of Tamora Pierce's Song of the Lioness quartet, readers will discover a spellhinding adventure where mystery, magic, and chivalry meet.

Along with The Hero and the Crown by Robin McKinley, I can credit this book with setting me on the path to lifelong reading. Reading about Alanna not only captivated my interest, but helped me appreciate from a young age that the difference between men and women, both in their abilities and the activities they enjoy, is negligible. 

View my suggested books by Tamora Pierce

The Promise by Monica Hughes

Rania is looking forward to her tenth birthday. As the princess she receives many wonderful gifts, and one puzzling one: she is sent a box of sand from Roshan. Her parents explain that she has been claimed by Sandwriter, and must go to the desert of Roshan to be her apprentice. Unwillingly, she leaves her country and her family behind, and begins her new life with Sandwriter. She learns to understand the desert and her connection with it, but as years pass, Rania becomes lonely. But life as Sandwriter will always be lonely; if Rania can't learn to cope, will she be able to become the next Sandwriter?

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.

Suggested book for February 2012

The Silver Kiss by Annette Curtis Klause

Genre: young adult fantasy

February is the month of love. So, fittingly, I have selected a romanticky book for my suggestion. My recollection of this book is fuzzy, because I read it once when I was 14 or 15. But it really made an impression on me, because whenever I try to think of books that I've read in the past, this is almost always the one I think of first. I'm honestly a little afraid to try reading it again, just in case it's terrible now.

What I remember is this: teenage girl's mother is sick, teenage girl falls in love with sexy vampire boy (I KNOW, but this was written way before Twilight), vampire boy and teenage girl try to defeat evil vampire threat... you get the picture. I won't tell you the ending :P

I remember feeling a tenderness for this book; it's a melancholy, delicate romance. I hope you enjoy reading it at least as much as I do reminiscing about it.

Blood Red Ochre by Kevin Major

This is a guest post
by Carol Tulpar

Blood Red Ochre is a gripping story that moves forward with a sense of urgency and mystery. When Nancy appears in David’s small town high school class, he feels attracted to her. They have been asked to write an essay about the vanished Beothuk, a group of aboriginal people who once occupied the island of Newfoundland, including the fictitious town of Marten, near St. John’s, where their school is located.

Lisa's Way by Robert Collins

When Earth's colony planets start fighting amongst themselves, the portals that connect them are closed. Generations later, Lisa Herbert finds herself wondering why they couldn't be opened again, and trade between the colonies re-introduced. She reactivates the local portal and decides to travel to the colony planets with the intention of sharing the knowledge she's gained from the books in the town library.

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.

Castle in the Air by Diana Wynne Jones

Abdullah is caught up in a life of daydreams; they're the one upside to selling carpets in his stall at the market. He imagines that he's the son of a king, stolen away at birth by ruffians, and eventually found by his father, the carpet-seller. He imagines that he's betrothed to the most beautiful princess in the world, and that they will live in a grand palace. Then, a shifty man stops by the stall, wanting to sell his magic carpet, and all Abdullah's daydreams start to come true. Even the bad ones.

Suggested book for December, 2011

Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone by J.K. Rowling

Genre: young adult fantasy

I tried to think of a Christmas-themed book that I've read which also happens to be sci-fi, fantasy, or YA, and I couldn't think of ANYTHING!

So, I decided to go with the series I usually end up re-reading around Christmastime, instead.

If you know of any Christmasey fantasy, sci-fi, or YA, please post the title and author in the comments, so I can check them out.

What can I say that hasn't already been said? The hidden world of wizards and witches that J.K. Rowling creates in this first book is incredibly appealing to readers of all ages. I first read this book at sixteen, and I was enthralled; I pulled my entire family into Harry Potter-fandom with me. While the Philosopher's Stone is slightly more juvenile than the later books, I don't find that it detracts from my enjoyment. After all, Harry is only eleven years old in this story. There's a reason this series has such a huge fan base; if you haven't already read this, give it a try. You'll be proud to call yourself a muggle.

View my suggested books by J.K. Rowling

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone