Review: Percy Jackson's Greek Gods by Rick Riordan & John Rocco

Percy Jackson’s Greek Gods
By Rick Riordan & John Rocco
Publisher: Disney Hyperion
Format: Hardcover
Source: Purchased

To Sum It Up: Percy Jackson tells you everything you need to know about how the world came into existence and the origins of the twelve Olympians!

Review: First, I have to confess something: I’ve only read one Percy Jackson book, The Lightning Thief. Unthinkable, I know. I am striving to make 2015 the year of the sequels, and reading the rest of PJ’s books is one of my top goals, especially after loving every page of Percy Jackson’s Greek Gods.

I first clapped eyes on this wonderful, wonderful tome while out and about shopping. It is a most handsomely packaged book that demands a highly visible place on one’s bookshelf. It’s printed on glossy paper, which enhances the brilliance of John Rocco’s illustrations. They are stunning, and some of them are full page. On glossy paper!

So yes, the mere appearance of this book practically had me drooling. Then I started flipping through the pages and soon proceeded to burst out laughing in public. Book. Sold!

I cannot convey in words how hilarious Percy’s narration is. I don’t even remember how many times I laughed out loud while reading (but this time in the privacy of my own home, where I could cackle as much and as loudly as I wanted). I mean, this guy really knows how to (re) tell a tale. At the same time, Percy makes sure to point out how crazy the Greek gods and goddesses could be, and how badly they could behave. And we all know that very often, they behaved very badly.

My fascination with Greek mythology began in elementary school, and if I’d had a copy of this book back then, I would have been ecstatic, as well as off to an excellent start learning who’s who among the gods and goddesses. Even as an adult, I found Percy Jackson’s Greek Gods extremely informative; it filled in a number of gaps in my Greek mythology education and refreshed my memory on some of the myths I was already familiar with. All of the glorious Percy snark was an added bonus and made this my new favorite Greek mythology book. Just the way he envisions how conversations between the Greek deities went—priceless.

One more thing before wrapping up this review: this book is coffee table-sized. It truly is an amazing piece of work, both in presentation and in content. The eBook version might be more portable, but I strongly recommend opting for the hardcover with this one. You will not regret it!

All in All: I think anyone who loves Greek mythology should read this. Percy is a fantastic storyteller, the artwork is gorgeous, and you get a solid overview of Greek mythology that never fails to be entertaining. Read it!

ARC Review: Underworld's Daughter by Molly Ringle

Underworld’s Daughter (The Chrysomelia Stories #2)
By Molly Ringle
Publisher: Central Avenue Publishing
Format: eBook
Source: Publisher
Publication Date: June 27, 2014

To Sum It Up: As Sophie continues to regain her memories of her previous life as Persephone, she and Adrian/Hades are soon joined by two more figures from their shared past: Dionysos and Hekate. Sophie and Adrian need all the allies they can assemble, too, because Thanatos, the group that wants to destroy all immortals, is more determined than ever to carry out their lethal plans. Sophie’s own plans to just be a normal college student seem nearly impossible now, since she must devote all of her focus to protecting everyone she loves from Thanatos.

Review: My icy heart is not easily moved by swoony romances, but that’s exactly the effect Persephone’s Orchard had on me. I ended up loving the rekindled romance between Adrian and Sophie, the modern day reincarnations of Hades and Persephone. While there’s no shortage of sweet moments between the king and queen of the Underworld in Underworld’s Daughter, Sophie and Adrian’s relationship in the present hits a bit of a bump. She sometimes longs to just be Sophie Darrow, average college student without all of the baggage that accompanies being a Greek deity. Although this was a perfectly reasonable story development, the part of me that fell for Persephone’s Orchard because of the Adrian/Sophie pairing couldn’t help feeling a little disappointed.

Underworld’s Daughter expands its roster of characters, with the series shifting some of its focus to Tabitha and Zoe, friends of Sophie and Adrian’s who also featured prominently in the lives of Persephone and Hades. It’s not that Sophie and Adrian are totally forgotten, but you can expect to spend quite a bit of time getting acquainted with Tabitha, Zoe, and their previous incarnations. The flashbacks to their days in ancient Greece were absorbing to read about; their lives in the present—not as much. I would have liked Tabitha to have had a little more to her character than partying and chasing fame, even if those things were in total keeping with the lifestyle she led in the past. As for Zoe, I thought she let herself get too bogged down in her memories of who Tabitha used to be and how close they once were.

And I think that was my main issue with Underworld’s Daughter: I couldn’t get as invested in the present day lives of the characters as easily as I did their previous ones. There’s clearly a lot of love for Greek mythology here, and that love really shines through whenever the story returns to the past. Kudos also go to the storytelling technique that’s employed in the series; the narrative switches back and forth between ancient and contemporary times without ever causing confusion about where—or when—you are. I do wish that the contemporary plotlines had moved closer to the pace that the flashback scenes did and that my favorite character, Hermes/Niko, had made a few more appearances. Ultimately, Underworld’s Daughter was a satisfying sequel, though I did miss, and I sort of can’t believe I’m about to say this because it’s rather uncharacteristic for me, the sweeping romance of Persephone’s Orchard.

All in All: The Greek mythology aspect continues to be excellent, but the modern day story took a while to build and find its momentum.

Review: Antigoddess by Kendare Blake

Antigoddess (The Goddess War #1)
By Kendare Blake
Publisher: Tor Teen
Format: Hardcover
Source: Library

To Sum It Up: The Greek gods and goddesses still exist among us in modern times—but barely. They’re dying, and Athena, for one, is determined to find a way to escape death. She and Hermes set out on a search for the famed seer Cassandra, who’s been reincarnated and is supposed to be the key to saving the deities. Cassandra recalls nothing of her past life, however, and is living in quiet Kincade, New York. Athena isn’t the only immortal looking for Cassandra, either, and these beings are willing to kill each other to reach her first.

Review: I never get tired of reading Greek mythology retellings. I love seeing how different authors put their own unique stamp on these legendary tales, and I was especially excited to see what Kendare Blake would do with these stories. I’d seen some mixed reactions to Antigoddess when it was released, and now, I find myself echoing their sentiments. While I really liked Blake’s imaginative portrayal of fabled figures such as Athena, Hermes, and Odysseus, the plot couldn’t seem to find its focus or momentum.

Antigoddess sports an intriguing premise—some of the gods and goddesses are dying, and in alarming ways. Athena’s body is sprouting feathers inside of it, while Hermes is growing thinner and thinner. The pair, spurred on by Athena’s drive to preserve their immortality, travels far and wide in search of a solution. And when I say Athena is determined, I mean doggedly so; all of her experience leading armies onto a battlefield really kicks into high gear. She can be arrogant and single-minded at times, focused only on halting death and doing whatever she believes is necessary to achieve her goal. I appreciated the fact that Athena and her fellow deities weren’t perfect, though; their character flaws lent them depth and made them seem quite . . . human.

Initially the novel switches between following Athena and Hermes as they attempt to track down the reincarnation of the seer Cassandra of Troy and the life of the present-day Cassandra herself. The latter has no idea who she really is/was and believes she’s just a high school student—who has visions of the future. It takes some time for the two story lines to converge, and I often found the chapters that focused on Cassandra and her friends slow going. I preferred reading about Athena and Hermes’s travels, which were heavier on the action. Once certain characters get (re)acquainted there’s a noticeable pickup in the book’s pacing, but I think the wait for that to happen is a tad too long.

I also found myself rather confused about the war between the gods and goddesses that’s supposed to be going on in this book. That meanie Hera and her cohorts are bumping off other immortals, but exactly why . . . I still don’t know. This remained a nagging question throughout the novel, and one that was never satisfactorily answered.

Thanks to a few bumpy spots here and there, Antigoddess falls a little short of Blake’s superb Anna Dressed in Blood. Antigoddess still manages some creep-tastic moments, though; if you ever wondered what the result of combining Greek mythology with a touch of scary would be, that book is right here. I certainly enjoyed this enough to continue with the series, despite the couple of issues I had with it.

All in All: I definitely think that Antigoddess is worth checking out for anyone who loves mythology retellings. It’s not perfect, but I really love Kendare Blake’s characterizations here; they’re fresh and creative and sometimes even a little frightening.

Review: The Iron Queen by Kaitlin Bevis

* These reviews may contain spoilers for the previous two books in the series, Persephone and Daughter of the Earth and Sky. *

The Iron Queen (Daughters of Zeus #3)
By Kaitlin Bevis
Publisher: Musa Publishing

* A copy was provided by the author for review.

To Sum It Up:

Persephone has been captured by Zeus, and he’ll do whatever it takes to get her to swear fealty to him. As Persephone puts up a fierce fight, Hades frantically searches for her, as well as for a way to defeat Zeus. Other gods and goddesses are called in to assist, some of whom don’t believe that saving one young woman is worth risking the world for. There’s also the matter of whether or not Aphrodite can be trusted, especially considering her connection to Zeus. Persephone doesn’t have much time, though, and the deities need to band together if they’re to stop Zeus from seizing control of every realm.

Ally's Review:

I cannot even begin to describe The Iron Queen. After finishing the book, I was at a loss for words. The striking brilliance of this adaptation of Greek mythology is easily a favorite.

The new introduction of the shifting point of views had me initially worried. I feared that my ideal image of Hades would be tainted with the ability to see events unfold from his perspective. My fear was misplaced—it was thrilling and fresh to catch a glimpse inside the mind of Hades. It was even more enjoyable to read from Aphrodite's point of view. Aphrodite easily moved up in the ranks of my favorite characters with her witty humor. Her little side missions with Melissa provided a much needed breather from the neverending chaos that follows Persephone and Hades.

Another worry of mine concerning the shifting point of views was Persephone. For the two previous books, Persephone was the only window into the book. I wondered how my perception of her would change after seeing her through another person. If anything, my respect for Persephone grew. Not only did she hold her own against Zeus under the most abominable of circumstances, but she also gained the respect and admiration of the other gods and goddesses. In this book, Persephone is no longer seen as a child but as a force to be reckoned with.

Ever since I read the first book in the Daughters of Zeus series, I have been moaning and groaning about meeting other Greek deities. With this book, I got my wish. The whole entourage of gods and goddesses that are introduced left me giddy with excitement. The interpretation of each and every deity in the modern world was nothing less than brilliant. The new characters that eased their way onto my favorites list include Ares and Hephaestus. It was beyond fun meeting the new cast of characters, and it was even more fun watching Demeter and Hades trying to control them all.

The Iron Queen provides a constant stream of action and tension. The conflict with Zeus becomes paramount. I found it interesting to read about Persephone in the hands of the monster and then read about Hades trying to find his lost wife. It was interesting because as the reader you know where Persephone is but the characters in the book do not. No matter how much you want to help Hades and the other gods and goddesses, the most you can do is sit in the tension and continue reading. I was propelled by my own curiosity to read the book in a matter of hours.

With the new cast of characters and action at every turn, The Iron Queen is an exhilarating read. The previous books in the series left me stunned and wanting more, and this one was no exception.

All in All:

Daughters of Zeus is hands down my favorite mythological young adult series. It's very hard not to love these books.

Lee's Review:

Kaitlin Bevis’s Daughters of Zeus series has quickly become my favorite mythology retelling, and after reading The Iron Queen, I love it more than ever. This is the most intense, action-packed installment yet. I hated having to put the book down because I was so into it, and any time I had a free moment, even if it was five minutes, I pulled this up on my phone so I could continue reading.

I might have squealed just a little when Chapter 1 opened with Hades’s point of view. Okay, it might be more accurate to say I had a full-on freak-out. But it’s Hades—the badass god of the Underworld whom I’ve been in love with since the first book. With Zeus holding Persephone prisoner, we have access to the storm of Hades’s thoughts: fear for his wife, determination to save her no matter what the cost, and pure hatred of Zeus. Even though the tone of this book stays fairly serious throughout, there are still a few glimpses of Hades’s sense of humor (yes, he has one!). I cracked up at his memory of Cassandra telling a recently arrived soul to the Underworld about how he went through a “dark phase” after meeting Dante, he of The Divine Comedy fame.

Hades isn’t the only new POV addition to the series. Aphrodite also narrates some chapters, and at first I had mixed feelings about this. I really didn’t like her in the previous novel, Daughter of the Earth and Sky. I thought she was a bad influence on Persephone, and I found her annoying in general. But after reading from Aphrodite’s perspective, I really had to eat my negative opinion of her. Zeus took away her free will, and she’s stuck being bossed around by any member of the family who outranks her. It’s not a fun life. I actually wound up liking Aphrodite and her pert attitude. She and Melissa, Persephone’s friend/priestess, have some hilariously snippy exchanges that further provide some comic relief.

Poor Persephone spends the majority of the novel getting tortured by a merciless, power-hungry Zeus. To her credit, she fights back as much as she can against Zeus’s endless lightning zaps and the fake nightmares he’s planting in her head. Persephone actively searches for even the tiniest opportunity to get away, which is a lot more than I can say for some other YA heroines I’ve read about. I can’t stand it when a female protagonist spends more time talking about escaping than making actual plans to do so.

My absolute favorite part of The Iron Queen was the gathering of other figures from Greek mythology to unite against Zeus. It was like something out of The Avengers, and I LOVE The Avengers! Ares, Apollo, Artemis, and Athena all make appearances, and the assembly of awesomeness was just amazing. Apollo was too, too funny, with his cult of hippie worshippers and tongue-in-cheek alias, Mr. Sunshine. Even Hades snickered at that. As content as I’d been with the cast of deities in the first two books, the roster expansion in this one was both perfectly time and perfectly executed.

It’s always gratifying to see a series move forward with each installment, and this series truly hits the sweet spot with The Iron Queen. The story doesn’t appear to be finished yet, either, which makes me all the happier because I only just became acquainted with a host of fascinating new characters. I really hope their presence continues in future books.

All in All:

I loved this from start to finish. If you’ve read Persephone and Daughter of the Earth and Sky, you should be extremely happy with The Iron Queen.

ARC Review: Persephone's Orchard by Molly Ringle

Persephone’s Orchard (The Chrysomelia Stories #1)
By Molly Ringle
Publisher: Central Avenue Publishing
Publication Date: June 28, 2013

* An advance copy was provided by the publisher for review.

To Sum It Up:

Sophie Darrow is about to start her freshman year at college, but adjusting to university life is going to be the least of her worries. She’s barely had time to settle in when she’s whisked away to another realm, where she meets the mysterious Adrian Watts, a young man who actually isn’t the total stranger Sophie believes him to be. Adrian hopes Sophie will unlock her memories of the past, which stretch farther back than she realizes, and which tell a story that’s something like a tale straight out of Greek mythology.

Review:

I’ve had some very good luck with mythology retellings lately, and that streak continues with Persephone’s Orchard. I absolutely loved Molly Ringle’s inventive reimagining of Greek mythology, in which deities are reborn into new lives throughout time, and the Underworld isn’t that scary a place (and neither is the god usually associated with it, Hades). I really liked the idea of the gods and goddesses living in the present day under different identities. It was fresh and creative, plus you still get to spend plenty of pages reading about them during their lifetimes as the figures you might be familiar with from mythology. It was this clever, seamless blending of the traditional images I have of these legendary characters with more contemporary versions of them that really sold me on this book. Needless to say, Ringle pulled it off effortlessly.

One of the things I most look forward to whenever I read a mythology retelling is how the author characterizes the gods and goddesses. Each of the characters in Persephone’s Orchard has a unique personality, and I was especially fond of a hilarious and roguish Hermes. Hades, given quite a tragic past here, wasn’t all, “Your soul is mine for eternity, mwahaha!” He’s the total opposite of that; instead, he’s into seeking justice for murdered souls and finding out if the plants that only grow in the spirit realm can be used to cure disease. Persephone is a very relatable character, with her jumble of confused feelings when she begins seeing Hades, whom she’s grown up around, in a different, and romantic, light. As interested as I was to read about Sophie and Adrian in the present, I was completely engrossed in the flashbacks to Persephone and Hades’s past.

The romance in the book leaned a little more toward the epic, swoony side than I normally go for, but I was okay with that because it worked so well for the novel. I’m not a firm believer in soul mates and such, but even I found myself rooting for Sophie and Adrian. It’s difficult not to with a remarkable history like theirs.

I admit that I was a tad skeptical of this book at the beginning because Sophie wasn’t in hysterics over being transported by a stranger to another realm to meet another stranger spouting some babble about souls and a spirit realm. She was startled all right but didn’t have a meltdown, which would have been my reaction. Since Sophie got through it, I decided to shove my doubts away and give this Adrian fellow a chance, too. This proved to be a wise choice because Persephone’s Orchard was a fantastic read, from its take on mythology to the literally timeless love story.

All in All:

If you love Greek mythology, particularly the story of Hades and Persephone, then you should definitely add Persephone’s Orchard to your TBR list. I was very impressed with Molly Ringle’s reworking of the myth, and I can’t wait to see what she has in store for the rest of the series.

The eBook edition of Persephone's Orchard is going to be available for only $0.99 for the first two weeks after its release on June 28, 2013!
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Review: Daughter of the Earth and Sky by Kaitlin Bevis

* Spoiler warning for the previous book, Persephone. *

Daughter of the Earth and Sky (Daughters of Zeus #2)
By Kaitlin Bevis
Publisher: Musa Publishing

* A copy was provided by the author for review.

To Sum It Up:

Persephone knows that she can never go back to the way things were, not after finding out that she’s an immortal goddess and becoming Queen of the Underworld. Although Persephone herself eliminated the threat posed by the Winter God, Boreas, she isn’t out of danger yet. Zeus is still after her, and he’s in league with none other than Thanatos, someone whom Persephone once thought she could trust. Even worse, Thanatos has tricked her into keeping silent about his involvement in Zeus’s plans. She is unable to even tell Hades, her husband, about what Thanatos is up to. With Zeus's hidden agenda and Thanatos as her newly acquired enemy, Persephone's world is falling apart. Somehow, she must find a way to stop both of them before it’s too late.

Lee's Review:

Having loved Kaitlin Bevis’s Persephone, I was extremely excited to read the sequel, Daughter of the Earth and Sky. While I found myself a little frustrated at times with Persephone’s actions in this one, they were integral to showing her growing pains as both a teenager on the verge of adulthood and as a goddess. Overall, Daughter of the Earth and Sky is a solid second book that maintains the first book’s momentum and explores in greater depth some of the issues, like the age difference between Persephone and Hades, that were touched upon in the previous novel.

Although in the first book, Persephone seemed to be adjusting as well as she could to her new role as Queen of the Underworld, her return to life on the surface in Daughter of the Earth and Sky is a lot rockier. She’s pretty angry with her mother, Demeter, for withholding so much information from her for most of her life. Their relationship is rather strained in this book, as is Persephone’s relationship with her best friend and priestess, Melissa. Melissa is looking for a bit of independence from a life she didn’t choose but was born into, and she wants to attend college in another state. Also driving a wedge between the girls is Aphrodite, created by Zeus and possessing a dangerous amount of charm. No one knows exactly why Zeus sent her, but under the assumption that it was for some no-good purpose, Hades and Persephone are keeping a close eye on her. As Aphrodite worms her way more and more into Persephone’s life, Melissa gets pushed aside. I wasn’t too enthused with Persephone’s initial handling of both the situation with her mother and with her best friend. I thought she was acting a bit bratty, but I cut her some slack for having so much thrown on her shoulders all at once. She’s finding out that juggling life between two worlds isn’t easy, and her struggle for balance takes center stage in this book. I actually liked that the story took this turn because it gave Persephone’s character development a sense of realism. The story would have been boring if she simply sailed through life now that she knew she was a goddess.

Hades and Persephone’s relationship isn’t spared from some drama, either. Demeter does not approve of it, and Hades himself is wary of them developing serious feelings for each other because of their rather big age difference. Making things even more awkward is the fact that Persephone can’t tell Hades that his underling, Thanatos, is working for Zeus because Thanatos tricked her into staying mum. At one point, Persephone gets angry with Hades for not being able to guess what’s going on. This annoyed me some because I thought her anger was misplaced. Granted, Thanatos was very cunning with how he secured her silence, and I was quite surprised to find out that he was a bad guy at the end of Persephone. But Hades is already doing everything he can to protect Persephone, and it’s like she’s forgotten that. All right, so I’m pretty blind to Hades’s faults because I’ve loved him since the first book, and yeah, maybe he should have caught a whiff of something suspicious going on with Thanatos. Yet I still felt that Persephone was demonstrating the very immaturity that made Hades hesitant to return her affection. As I said before, I wasn’t always happy with Persephone’s actions, but they also illustrated that even goddesses aren’t perfect. I would have been more disappointed if she got everything she wanted, including a happily-ever-after marriage, without having to work for it.

Of the new characters, Poseidon was my favorite. The tension between him and Hades intrigued me greatly. I was not so thrilled with Aphrodite. Even knowing that Zeus was responsible for her grating personality, I still wasn’t keen on her addition. There’s a chance that she may surprise me in the next book, though, considering the twist ending to this book. Oh, and I wouldn’t mind reading more about Poseidon in the next book, too.

Daughter of the Earth and Sky concludes with one shocker of an ending. I thought I had things fairly figured out, but I figured incorrectly. Big time. I congratulate Kaitlin Bevis on completely fooling me with such clever plotting. I await the third book, The Iron Queen, with great anticipation.

All in All:

This is just a fantastic mythology retelling series. The Greek mythology is weaved into the story so seamlessly. I continue to be impressed with Kaitlin Bevis’s writing; Persephone may be a goddess, but Bevis gives her enough flaws to keep her grounded and relatable.

Ally's Review:

I immediately fell in love with the first installment in the Daughters of Zeus series, and I couldn't imagine what else to expect. I knew that I was going to love any mythology Kaitlin Bevis threw at me; I just didn't know to what extent. I usually don't anticipate much from sequels, shamefully favoring only the first and last in a series, but I was pleasantly surprised by Daughter of the Earth and Sky. I think I might even like it more than the first book.

The plotline in this book definitely takes a darker turn. There is more conflict with Persephone and her coming into her goddess-ness. Don't get me wrong, there is plenty of action centering around Zeus, Thanatos, and all the other bad guys, but the book focuses on Persephone realizing who she is and what is expected from her more than anything else. Some of these revelations are sad, especially concerning Persephone's friends and family, but necessary. Persephone grows up a lot this time around, and that's a good thing.

Several new characters are introduced in this book. Poseidon makes an appearance, which I thought was beyond awesome! I wanted to meet some other gods and goddesses, and I got what I wanted! Poseidon reminded me of Finnick Odair from The Hunger Games with his surfer boy looks and his sea-colored eyes. I was most definitely crushing on him until Bevis rained on my parade, giving readers a glimpse of his bad side. Aphrodite is another Olympian introduced. Personally, I did not like her, but that could be credited to my jealous, skeptical, teenage trust issues. Then you have the mortal boy, Joel, who was unabashedly pining after Persephone even after she told him she was taken! I did not like Joel either, and I spent a good portion of the book wishing that he would go jog off a cliff or have a run-in with Hades.

The strain in Hades and Persephone's relationship was ever present. I had a front row seat to all of the angst and drama; it was killing me, but I couldn't look away! I had to watch Persephone's promise to keep the evil Thanatos's secret destroy everything! If, by some stroke of luck, I was Persephone and got myself into that situation, I would sit my butt down and meditate until I found a way to tell Hades the truth. Then I would kick Zeus and Thanatos's godly arses down into the deepest pits of Tartarus. It's not Persephone's fault, though. Thanatos was so cool and trustworthy in the beginning. He was even one of my favorite characters. No one could have expected him to turn evil. I feel so betrayed!

The only thing that I marginally disliked about the book was that it made me terribly homesick. I missed the Underworld, Charon, and everybody down there! They are barely in the book. I became so attached to them, and then I didn't get to see them. Every time Persephone said that she was visiting the Underworld, I would jump with glee only to be disappointed because she left almost as soon as she got down there.

Aside from my little bout of homesickness, Daughter of the Earth and Sky was fantastic. It keeps you on your toes and has you guessing until the very end. At one point, towards the end of the book, I thought I had it all figured out. Arrogantly, I told Lee about my Cassandra-like premonitions. She nodded her head, having already finished the book. When I finished the last twenty odd pages, I was rudely awakened. I had been wrong; completely, utterly wrong. I was misled into a passive lull. The worst part is that I had reveled in my seemingly glorious guesswork, and Lee had let me! It was all just too clever for me; now I feel the need to redeem myself. This book was just that good.

All in All:

Daughter of the Earth and Sky is the best young adult, mythological book I have ever read. The reader becomes so completely invested in the characters and the story that everything just feels real. Man, I wish it were real.

Review: Valkyrie Rising by Ingrid Paulson

Valkyrie Rising
By Ingrid Paulson
Publisher: HarperTeen

To Sum It Up:

Ellie Overholt is off to spend the summer in Norway with her grandmother, where she hopes to find some freedom from the watchful eye of her overprotective older brother, Graham. That isn’t going to be easy, with both Graham and his friend, Tucker, slated to join Ellie in Norway. She may have to play the role of protector for once, though, when the young men of the village start disappearing, Graham among them. Ellie quickly learns that some myths are all too real, and that she herself is a part of them. With the help of her newfound powers, it’s up to Ellie to find out what’s going on in the village and to rescue her brother.

Review:

I didn’t know much about Norse mythology before reading Valkyrie Rising. I was familiar with the basics (Odin, Thor, Loki, Valkyries, Valhalla), but that was about it. Valkyrie Rising presented a nice change of pace since I’d never read anything based on Norse lore before. While I liked how the book ventured into a world that was relatively new to me, the characters came up a bit short development-wise.

To say that the protagonist, Ellie, lives in the shadow of her older brother, Graham, is an understatement. From the first chapter, the fact that he can do no wrong is made abundantly clear, so much so that I developed an almost instant dislike of him for being so ridiculously perfect. Not only does poor Ellie have to deal with Graham’s saintliness, but he’s also extremely protective of his little sister, to the point of being smothering, at least in my opinion. I understood that Ellie’s discovery of her superhuman abilities would seem all the more dramatic because she’d been lurking in the shadow of Graham’s reflected awesomeness for so long—it was. But I also spent a good number of pages feeling as though the book were about Graham instead of Ellie.

I was happy for Ellie when she found out that she wasn’t an ordinary teenager. She really deserved to have a spotlight shone on her for once. I did, however, think that her transformation from mere mortal to warrior woman took place rather suddenly. That was my general problem with the novel: the characters and what happened to them weren’t explored in enough detail to spark more than a passing interest in them.

Valkyrie Rising became considerably more intriguing once Loki entered the picture. I will not deny that I daydreamed constantly occasionally about Tom Hiddleston as I read Loki’s scenes in the book. This version of the character is every bit the shrewd trickster who only involves himself in situations that somehow benefit him. He was by far the most entertaining character, as well as the one who demonstrated the most depth and vivacity. Had the other characters been this fleshed out, the novel would have been more of the standout read that it had the potential to be.

While this book didn’t quite bowl me over, I enjoyed reading about a setting that was brand new to me—the beautiful fjords of Norway. I also found it very refreshing that the guys were the ones who were in peril and required rescuing. The story, the mythological element, and the writing were all solid; the novel just needed its characters to have a little more substance to them.

All in All:

I really liked the novelty of reading about figures from Norse mythology, especially Loki, in modern times. Aside from him, though, the characters weren’t overly remarkable, keeping Valkyrie Rising in the above average rating range.

Review: Persephone by Kaitlin Bevis

Persephone (Daughters of Zeus #1)
By Kaitlin Bevis
Publisher: Musa Publishing

* A copy was provided by the author for review.

To Sum It Up:

Persephone just wants to live a normal life like any other teenager, but that’s not easy to do when you’re a goddess. Unfortunately for her, she's a goddess who's attracted the unwanted attention of Boreas, the God of Winter, and he is willing to go to extremes to capture Persephone. Her savior is none other than Hades, Lord of the Underworld; to protect Persephone, Hades takes her to his domain. The thing is, to be able to give her the power to cross between the realms of the living and the dead, Hades has claimed Persephone as his queen. Although she longs to return to the surface, Persephone finds herself growing accustomed to living in the Underworld, due in no small part to being around Hades. In addition to learning to use her new powers, she faces another task, that of reconciling being a part of two worlds.

Ally's Review:

I love, loved this book! I adore Greek mythology and all that jazz, so this book was simply perfect for me. Once I really got into my “reading mode,” I flew through the book. Kaitlin Bevis is one clever author; she knows her mythology. I was beside myself with all the mini references to other popular myths. This retelling of Persephone and Hades is truly original, and my favorite interpretation by far.

Persephone was a great heroine. She handled being an immortal goddess pretty well. She didn't unreasonably complain, and I admired that she stood her ground on learning how to defend herself rather than always relying on others. Persephone was a great queen, too! She cared about her people and her friends. Her loyalty to them was truly admirable. Plus, she had Hades leashed! Hades was amazing. He was handsome and powerful, but he was also really sweet and caring. He's one of the nicer versions of Hades. I liked how he cared about the dead and their lives and experience after death. I also liked how he didn't let anyone mess with him at all. He is Lord of the Underworld, after all.

The relationship between Hades and Persephone is so sweet. The characters really balance each other out well. The two falling for each other wasn't forced or too fast; it was gradual. They're just so cute together! I was shipping for the two the whole time.

The Underworld setting was amazing! Reading about Tartarus, the River of Styx, and the Elysian Fields was a lot of fun. It was like taking a safari through the Underworld. I wish the book would have focused more on the places outside of the palace. The people in the Underworld were so adorable. You really had this whole family atmosphere going on. Hades was like the father and everyone else was the kids. Charon was one of my favorite characters. He was a giant goofball, definitely not the type of guy you picture him being.

Even though the whole thing about the gods and goddesses dying out and stuff was interesting, I was a little bummed. I wish I could have seen more of the other gods out there. How cool would that be, to see Apollo or Hermes running about? Well, the series is titled Daughters of Zeus (“Daughters” as in plural), so maybe we can meet some other deities in future installments. The ending was a real doozy; I'm super curious to see what happens next.

All in All:

I loved this book, plain and simple. Persephone is such a great interpretation of the old myth. It's fun, exciting, and sweet. I'm pretty sure I have a crush on Hades! :D

Lee's Review:

When I began reading Persephone, I wasn’t sure how I was going to like it. The signs pointing to Persephone’s goddess-ness, like having a professor named Homer, living in Athens, Georgia, and attending a concert by a rock star named Orpheus were a little less than subtle. Once Hades rescued her from Boreas and whisked her away to the Underworld, however, I started loving this. The characterizations of the figures from Greek mythology were very well done and fresh, Persephone and Hades in particular. I also loved the romance, which was slow-building (just my type) and sweet. I’m always happy when a book that I get off to a rocky beginning with pleasantly surprises me in the end, and that’s exactly what happened with Persephone.

I like my heroines strong but not too perfect. Persephone represents a nice balance between wanting to be independent and able to defend herself against a creep like Boreas but flawed enough to have her moments of self-doubt and to act on impulse. She also has a self-deprecating sense of humor, which always endears a protagonist to me. I really rooted for her throughout the book because she made it so easy to do so.

Without question, my favorite character was Hades. This wasn’t the portrayal of the big, bad ruler of the Underworld that I was accustomed to/expecting. This is a kinder, gentler Hades than the one I always conjured up in my mind whenever I heard his name. Of course, that’s not to say that he won’t hesitate to snuff out anybody who earns his wrath. Overall, though, Hades is the hero here, and it’s so refreshing to see this side of him for a change. Yeah, he made swoon more than a few times while reading Persephone.

The secondary characters are equally well-developed and brim with such lively personalities, which is kind of ironic considering that most of them reside in the Underworld. I never thought I’d find myself laughing at jokes cracked by Charon, the ferryman of the river Styx, but yep, I did. Now imagine Charon, Cassandra, Thanatos, and Hypnos all joining Hades and Persephone around the dinner table chatting about their days and bantering with each other. I thought these scenes were fantastic because they were so different from the fiery, Dante’s Inferno-type images that I normally associate with the Underworld.

Persephone was an all-around enjoyable read, with characters that I became completely invested in, plenty of humor (the riff on vampire books was especially funny), a perfectly paced romance, and a good deal of character growth for our heroine. I loved how Kaitlin Bevis took Greek mythology and created a story that was at the same time uniquely her own. Daughter of the Earth and Sky looks like an awesome sequel, and best of all, it means more Hades to read about!

All in All:

Mythology retellings don’t get much better than this. Even if you’re not familiar with Greek myths, I still think that Persephone would make an excellent read, plus it’s a great starting point for exploring Greek mythology further.

Review: Lizzy Speare and the Cursed Tomb by Ally Malinenko

Lizzy Speare and the Cursed Tomb
By Ally Malinenko
Publisher: Antenna Books

* A copy was provided by the author for review.

To Sum It Up: Lizzy Speare loves writing and William Shakespeare. At twelve years old, she’s a natural at reading the Bard’s works, and there’s a very good reason for that. Lizzy is Shakespeare’s last living descendant and the target of some evil schemes hatched by the devious Dmitri Marlowe, who just happens to be the last living descendant of Shakespeare’s contemporary, Christopher Marlowe. Life is about to become like a scene straight out of a book for Lizzy when she and her best friend, Sammy, suddenly find themselves in Manhattan in the castle of Jonathan Muse, who has watched over generations of Shakespeares. Now he is tasked with keeping Lizzy safe as he, Lizzy, and Sammy frantically search for Lizzy’s kidnapped father.

Lee's Review: I love reading anything to do with Shakespeare, so I was immediately intrigued by this book’s synopsis. I love mythology, too, and was thrilled to discover that Lizzy Speare and the Cursed Tomb also incorporates a lot of mythical figures into this exciting tale of a girl with an extraordinary lineage. What I wouldn’t give to one day find out that I was descended from William Shakespeare! You’re one very lucky young lady, Miss Speare.

Lizzy is a plucky little heroine who is easy to identify with. If I had read this as kid, she absolutely would have been my fictional best friend because of her love of reading and writing. Lizzy has a lot on her plate, what with the bombshell news of her famous ancestor and her missing dad and all. It’s not easy to absorb all of this at once, but Lizzy toughs it out and becomes increasingly self-assured over the course of the novel. She is also incredibly brave; there’s nothing that she won’t do to get her father back, even negotiating with an untrustworthy snake like Dmitri Marlowe. I just loved Lizzy’s friendship with Sammy; those two make an awesome team and epitomize what it means to be best friends.

Loving Shakespeare as much as I do, I was in heaven with all of the references to him and his writings. The chapter titles all cleverly quote his works; I had a lot of fun trying to match each title with its source. Even better, the Bard actually makes an appearance in the novel, as does another famous author from the Elizabethan period, Christopher Marlowe. I really liked how Marlowe was incorporated into the story; I’ve never read Doctor Faustus, but I kind of want to now.

The world of Lizzy Speare and the Cursed Tomb features some familiar characters from mythology, like satyrs, nymphs, and the Fates. Jonathan really is a Muse, as in the kind that inspires writers and artists. This book had a whimsical feel that meshed well with its mostly urban, New York City setting. If a castle with doors that allow you to travel to other time periods is going to exist anywhere in the world, of course it’s going to be in Manhattan. As a former New Yorker, I’m always happy to see the place that I’ll always think of as home turn up in a book. I fully admit to nearly hyperventilating when Lizzy and Sammy had to venture into the Williamsburg section of Brooklyn because it’s right next to the neighborhood that I grew up in. The descriptions of Williamsburg and Coney Island, another Brooklyn locale that I have very fond memories of, were spot-on; they were just as I remember them.

My only real quibble is that I wish there had been a few more details about Lizzy’s family history. There’s a lot more to Dmitri Marlowe’s motives than meets the eye, but we only get snippets of the big picture. I’m especially curious about what Lizzy’s father, Rupert, did in the past that was so terrible. Ah, but that’s what sequels are for, and I can’t wait to read the next installment of Lizzy’s story.

All in All: This book is a wonderful, imaginative blend of adventure, mythology, and even a bit of historical fiction. It’s a great introduction to William Shakespeare (and Christopher Marlowe) for younger readers, and it’s sure to charm adult fans of Shakespeare as well.

Melissa's Review: I am a great fan of Shakespeare, my favorite works being Macbeth and Hamlet. So, I was super excited to read Lizzy Speare and the Cursed Tomb because of all the Shakespeare allusions. However, there was so much more to it than Shakespeare; there were tons of mythical creatures and cool magic. It was a perfect blend of new and old inspiration. I was pleasantly surprised at how balanced everything was; there are so many layers to the story, but they work together perfectly. It’s easy for things to get kind of overwhelming when you have so many ideas working together, but it didn't happen at all in this novel. Everything was introduced in a way that just worked; nothing was farfetched.

You can just tell how much time and thought were put into the story line, and the characters don't disappoint either. My personal favorite was Jonathan. He seems to have his stuff together, and he is always there for Lizzy. In a way, he is kind of the unsung hero. I also really liked Lizzy; she started off lacking confidence, but as the story progressed, Lizzy became the person she was meant to be. Oh, and Sammy is the best best friend ever; I really admire his loyalty to Lizzy.

I had like a super spaz when I found out Jonathan's castle was in Manhattan! And when Lizzy and Sammy went to Brooklyn, I could barely contain my squeals of excitement. It was so cool to read about places I knew; it really helped me connect more with the book.

All in All: This book has everything going for it. It has a great plot, awesome characters, a kick-arse setting, and a perfect mix of new and old ideas. I can't wait to read what happens to Lizzy next!

Check out the blog tomorrow for our interview with author
Ally Malinenko!

Review: The Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan

The Lightning Thief (Percy Jackson and the Olympians #1)
By Rick Riordan
Publisher: Disney Hyperion Books

To Sum It Up: Trouble seems to follow twelve-year-old Percy Jackson wherever he goes. He’s on the verge of being expelled from his sixth school in six years, and he can’t even go on a field trip to the Metropolitan Museum of Art without causing a commotion. Percy is about to find out that all of these strange happenings are due to a heritage that he never would have believed possible, a heritage that is rooted in Greek mythology. The gods and monsters of legend become all too real for Percy, who is accused of stealing Zeus’s lightning bolt. Percy and his friends must embark on a dangerous quest to find the real culprit before war breaks out among the gods of Mount Olympus.

Review: The Lightning Thief is another one of those books that I wish had been around when I was a kid. I became interested in mythology at an early age. Growing up, we had this awesome edition of Webster’s Dictionary (yes, I just used the word “awesome” to describe a dictionary) that was a dictionary/encyclopedia hybrid. It featured a section devoted to mythology, and I happily whiled away my time learning about all of the Greek and Roman gods and goddesses. Reading The Lightning Thief brought back this warm and fuzzy memory of my first exposure to mythology and reminded me why these legends captured my imagination in the first place.

Rick Riordan expertly brings classical Greek mythological figures to life in modern times. Even Mount Olympus receives a transplant through time, to the top of the Empire State Building. It’s very easy to accept that the Furies and Medusa are walking among us; our human eyes just aren’t able to see their true forms. I especially loved Riordan’s characterization of Ares, god of war, as a biker with a bad attitude. Dionysus, who in this version of things is the director of a camp for demigod kids like Percy, also made me laugh with his disgruntlement over his job and intentional bungling of Percy’s name. As I turned the pages, I eagerly awaited the appearance of the next god or goddess to see Riordan’s contemporary reimagining of him or her.

Percy is the type of hero whom you want to see succeed. A lot of his school woes seemingly stem from having dyslexia and ADHD. His stepfather, whom Percy has nicknamed Smelly Gabe, treats neither Percy’s mother nor her son very nicely. Watching this kid who’s been written off by some people as a delinquent find out that his father is a Greek god is very gratifying. Percy’s problems with school are actually caused by his being a demigod; his brain is instinctively trained to read ancient Greek, and his heightened senses mean he sees much more than regular mortals do. Percy also possesses a pretty wicked sense of humor that spares no one, not even the gods. But it’s his bravery that truly defines Percy. Along with his devoted friends Annabeth and Grover, he journeys to the Underworld to rescue his mom and retrieve the missing lightning bolt. Naturally, this trip is filled with danger at every turn, resulting in a read that you can’t put down until you’re certain that Percy and company have safely escaped their latest scrape.

Percy’s adventures are sure to thrill middle grade, young adult, and adult readers alike. The Lightning Thief is a perfect introduction to Greek mythology for younger readers and a nice refresher for returning fans like me. I look forward to finding out which gods, goddesses, and mythical creatures turn up in the sequel, The Sea of Monsters.

All in All: I’ve been meaning to start this series for a very, very long time, and I’m happy that I finally had the opportunity to do so. A big thanks goes to Ally for 1) getting me to read The Lightning Thief at last and 2) finding her copy of the book that had been missing for months and lending it to me.

Review: Everneath by Brodi Ashton

Everneath (Everneath #1)
By Brodi Ashton
Publisher: Balzer + Bray

To Sum It Up: Nikki Beckett has just spent six months in the underworld known as the Everneath, a place where immortal beings known as the Everliving feed off of the energy of humans. Now Returned to the Surface, she has six months to say goodbye to her loved ones before she must go back to the Everneath forever. Nikki must choose either to become immortal herself and Feed off of others or become part of the Tunnels, the energy source that powers the Everneath. As Nikki steadily grows closer to her former boyfriend, Jack, she realizes that she must find a way to avoid her fate.

Review: Everneath was an underwhelming read for me. The writing is solid, and the story smoothly switches back and forth between the events leading up to Nikki going to the Everneath and the present. I just couldn’t get invested in the story or the characters. I also felt like I had missed some details on how the world of the Everneath worked. Why was Nikki allowed to Return to the Surface for six months? Why didn’t she have to decide between becoming an Everliving and going to the Tunnels right after the Feed? This system seemed kind of murky to me.

Nikki wasn’t a standout heroine for me. While she doesn’t incessantly bemoan her fate, I don’t think that she’s exactly proactive about altering it, either. I understand that she wants to spend her remaining time on the Surface with her family and friends. I realize, too, that the Feed has drained her physically and emotionally, so she’s not in the best condition to put up a fight. As the novel went on, though, I never felt like I could rally behind her.

Nikki’s boyfriend, Jack Caputo, suffers from the same lack of spark that Nikki’s character does. He’s a good guy with a good heart, but he’s a little too perfect for my liking. I found Cole Stockton, the immortal who Fed off of Nikki in the Everneath, more interesting because he had some edge to his character. Cole is the closest thing to a villain that you’re going to find in the book, but even then, just when you’re ready to peg him as such, he displays a tender side. Normally I’m all for morally gray characters, but with Nikki and Jack being the polar opposites of teenage rebels, I think that a truly evil bad guy would have added some welcome dimension to the story.

I really liked the concept behind Everneath, a retelling of the Hades and Persephone myth, but less-than-compelling characters and a predictable ending made me glad that I borrowed this from the library instead of buying it.

All in All: I don't plan on continuing with this series. There are books which I’ve given fewer stars to, yet I’m willing to read their sequels. That's because even though I might not have been crazy over a book, there’s a character whom I really care about, or I want to see how a certain plotline gets resolved. In the case of Everneath, none of the characters was especially memorable to me, and I'm not all that interested in whatever awaits them in the next book.