Hello! Happy Monday! I hope everyone is having a good Monday 🙂 Today I’m going to be reviewing Rick Riordan’s The Heroes of Olympus series.

The Last Olympian by: Rick Riordan: It’s all come down to this final battle, half-bloods verse the Titans and the outcome doesn’t look so good for the half-bloods. The prophecy surrounding Percy Jackson on his sixteenth birthday starts to reveal itself as Percy knows he must lead his army of half-bloods into the waging war. This novel was fairly good with its ups and its downs the reader wasn’t sure what to expect. What was done really well was the fact that Riordan brought all of his characters back, even if for one last time, it was good to get closure for them all. The plot was definitely engaging, as the world could pretty much end at any moment. The way it ended was also really sweet; the deke out ending was not expected, but at the same time it felt like Riordan didn’t want it all to end too perfectly so it worked out. These were really great books filled with Greek God history mixed with a little bit of humour and whole lot of adventure.

The Son of Neptune by: Rick Riordan: Percy Jackson has lost his memory, the past eight months are completely gone; Hazel has been brought back to life, only 70 years into the future, and Frank has been told he’s a descendant from the heroes, which he finds hard to believe. The three of them form an alliance in finding out what their role in the Prophecy of Seven is. This novel was full of adventure and fantasy and the plot was very well put together. The fact that the chapters were so short left the reader speeding through the novel and wanting more. It wasn’t until the end that the reader realized how this relates to the first novel in this series. The reader almost felt like they were in the same boat as Percy by the fact that he’s lost months of his memory, the reader was trying to put together the story. The ending leaves things where it looks like book one and two characters are going to come together, and that leaves something to look forward to. The characters were all characters we’ve seen and read before which felt good, but it was also nice to get a deep dive of the newer characters and to learn a little more about them. This novel left the expectations for the next book to be higher, when this was already a fantastic novel.

The Mark of Athena by: Rick Riordan: It’s a clash against the Gods. When Annabeth, Percy and their friends show up on Roman grounds in a flying ship the Romans believe it to be a Greek weapon. They must reassure them that they are friend not enemy. On the flipside, Annabeth must travel on her own to avenge her mother by following the mark of Athena, only things don’t go as planned. The plot, like all other novels in this series, was action packed and full of wonderful adventure into lands that are turned mythical. The fact that characters from other series are intertwined and working together towards a goal was fun to read. Not only does Riordan write a well fantasied story, but he’s also good at writing his characters. The reader can tell his characters are growing and they are maturing well. The pacing to this novel was good, it was also good to get a bit of back and forth between all of the characters so the reader is in multiple places which really moves the plot. The way it ended was truly shocking. Riordan is no stranger to the cliff hanger, but this novel he really gave it his all, and it certainly means readers will be coming back for more. This was a fun and enjoyable addition to the series, and it can only get better from here.

The House of Hades by: Rick Riordan: Hazel and the rest of the gang are on a mission to stop the two camps from going to war, but they are also trying to rescue Annabeth and Percy from Tartarus; neither mission is going to be easy. While their friends are trying to save them, Percy and Annabeth have to figure out how to stop Gaea from rising to power as they are running out of time. This novel was not only fun and engaging but it was also relatable. This felt like a step above all Riordan’s other novels. The writing felt so meaningful which made it enjoyable and heartwarming to read. The plot was captivating and took the reader on adventure after adventure; seeing all the characters start to come together for their cause was exciting and after that cliff-hanger ending Riordan left his readers on from the last book it was good to see this book end on a much tamer note. The reader can definitely see that these characters are getting a little older and aren’t middle graders anymore as they are starting to look at things differently and different things are starting to mean more to them. Riordan is really good at writing these characters; it’s like they have become a part of him. Readers can’t wait to see where this story is going to conclude.

The Blood of Olympus by: Rick Riordan: The end is truly near and everyone has to pull together one last time to stop the war once and for all. Each character has a role to play in either conquering a fear like Reyna and Piper, realizing their fate like Leo, proving themselves like Jason or dealing with consequences like Nico, it all adds up in the end. What a smashing conclusion; Riordan does it again with his stellar writing and masterful storytelling. He’s created a world in which readers don’t want to leave, and are always craving for more. The entire novel from start to finish was well written with his quick wit, yet delicate prose, it’s a beautiful balance that really brings not only his stories to life, but his characters. There was a character for every type of reader, and that made this novel relatable and an enjoyable experience. The ending was really well done, just when the reader thought everything was said and done, Riordan comes with just one last touch, and it was very crafty. Overall, this was a wonderful ending to an already highly entertaining and adventurous series.

Bonus Review

The Demigod Diaries by: Rick Riordan: This short companion novella to Riordan’s Heroes of Olympus series takes readers on a backstage pass to events and characters part of that world. It was a great way for the reader to gain a little bit more knowledge on their favourite characters and to read stories that help to better understand not only the characters, but the intricacy of the world Riordan has created. Filled with pictures, maps, and games this novel was not only fun to read but very interactive. The stories are told in great Riordan fashion, but the last story was a special treat, written by his son, and it was so wonderful to read. His son is just as wonderful a storyteller as his father, and it really felt special for the reader to be a part of. This is definitely something fans of the Percy Jackson world don’t want to miss.