Judge & Jury: 3 Stars

 

Judge & Jury by James Patterson and Andrew Gross

A co-worker recommended this one to me because the audiobook is read by Joe Matenga and she thought he did an excellent job. She was not wrong. He was a fabulous reader and his interpretation of the book alone kept me captivated.

In this novel, Andie  DeGrasse gets served with jury duty.  As a single mother who's an aspiring actress, she has no desire to serve so she tries to get let go.  Instead she gets selected for one of the highest profile cases in the nation. FBI agent Nick Pellisante finally captured Mafia boss Dominic Cavello and he was finally going to be judged for his crimes.  Or was he?

After a devastating attack on the jury, Andie and Nick are left to pick up the pieces of their shattered lives, hoping that Cavello will eventually get what he deserves.  But since it looks like the law may not be able to make that happen, the two decide its up to them. 

This book was a fun, light read, with an excellent narrator. The story was unique and I never predicted where it was going next.

Unfortunately, I am not sure I will read another Patterson book.  The characters were never really likeable and their chemistry never resonated with me. Their characters and relationship felt forced and awkward. It was hard to get into the book when you didn't really care about the characters. 

Rating: PG-13

Recommended for those who enjoy: action, adventure and mildly scary stories.

The Blood of Olympus (Heroes of Olympus #5): 3 Stars

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

The final book in the Heroes of Olympus series is all about the seven heroes of the prophecy.  The prophecy reads:

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

Considering the word "death" and phrase "final breath" were in the prophecy, there has been a lot of speculation that one of the seven would die.  Considering the seven consisted of three couples (Percy and Annabeth, Jason and Piper, and Frank and Hazel), and one single member, I was worried for Leo's safety. Leo is by far my favorite out of the seven and I was just not okay with his death.  And as I read on, my worries were only heightened. There were also many fan speculations that Leo would die and that is how he would end up with Calypso.  This ending would NOT have been okay with me!

With Gaea on the rise, giants to be fought, and Camp Jupiter and Camp HalfBlood at each others throats, the seven have a lot of work ahead of them and none of it will be easy. Luckily, they had the help of Nico, Reyna, and many others. 

Much like the rest of this series and the preceding series, Riordan does an excellent job of voicing teenagers in a "must save the world" predicament. Forced to grow up, but still feeling the feelings of teenagers (angst, fear, jealousy, etc.) Riordan captures their voices perfectly.

The main character I feel that Riordan nailed down was Nico. Knowing now that Nico has been in love with Percy, the same guy who was there when his sister, Bianca died, and having to watch him with Annabeth, Nico's chaotic attitude made so much more sense. I went from waiting for him to be revealed as a bad guy, to liking him and hoping he put down his guard long enough to figure out he had friends.

One thing I found curious about this book was that Riordan had no chapters from Percy or Annabeth's perspective.  Each chapter is titled after a character (not just the seven) and is from that character's perspective.  Yet none of the chapters focused on Percy or Annabeth.  Why? Anybody know? Was Riordan bored of their characters always taking the limelight?

The Heroes of Olympus series was very good and I found that I enjoyed it even more than the  Percy Jackson and the Olympians series. Perhaps it was because the characters were a little older and more mature. Perhaps it was the addition of Leo. Whatever the reason, it was an enjoyable series.

Now, you may be wondering why I rated the entire series as 3 stars if I enjoyed it.  The answer is simple. I am not a YA fan. I struggle to relate to teenagers and often find myself rolling my eyes when they act immature. That being said, I believe if you like reading about teenagers, this series would be a 4 or 5 star rating for you!

Rating: PG

Recommended for those who enjoy: mythology, action, YA, and young love.

The House of Hades (The Heroes of Olympus #4): 3 Stars

 

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

The last book ended with Percy and Annabeth trapped in Tartarus and the rest of the seven flying on the Argo II. I assumed by the title that we would learn more about the mysterious Nico, who frankly, up until this book, I was convinced was going to be revealed as a bad guy. I was not let down. 

There are many battles in this book (in fact the heroes got very little rest). Riordan also brought back some old characters from the previous series like Rachel Dare, Grover, Bob, and even, the evil Kelli. It was great to know that the old heroes were not sitting on their thumbs but were also helping in the impeding war, just not "on screen". 

As I implied earlier, we learned a lot of Nico in this book. In fact, we learned a big secret about Nico that helped explain why he had been acting the way out. It was like a light went on and I just said, "Well, that makes sense." I stopped hating Nico so much and realized that he was just a kid who was dealing with a lot and had no one to lean on and no one to help. He trusted no one. But that might all change now that he had his sister, Hazel around. Perhaps they could bond.

Leo, once again, is by far my favorite character. He's funny, witty, and loyal. But in this book, Leo finally gets something he has been missing since he was introduced.  Leo gets a girl (kinda)! Being the seventh wheel on the Argo II hasn't been easy for Leo, especially as a teenage boy with hormones raging. But he finally found a girl who suits him perfectly.  Yippee!

While this book did not end on a cliffhanger, it did end with the heroes knowing that they have a big task ahead of them and that some of them may not survive.


Rating: PG

Recommended for those who enjoy: mythology, action, YA, and young love.

The Mark of Athena (The Heroes of Olympus): 3 Stars

 

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

In Son of Neptune, we heard part of a prophecy.  We finally hear the whole thing in Mark of Athena:

Wisdom's daughter walks alone,
The Mark of Athena burns through Rome,
Twins snuff out the angel's breath,
Who holds the key to endless death.
The Giants' bane stands gold and pale,
Won through pain from a woven jail.

The team is all together for the first time in the third book of the series: Percy, Annabeth, Jason, Piper, Frank, Hazel, and of course, my favorite, Leo.  Unfortunately, the two camps end up at each others throats and Reyna knows that Annabeth must find the Mark of Athena to end Hera/Jupiter's plans, and bring the camps together. This is not an easy task and could very well end with Annabeth dead. The book ends with a rather steep cliffhanger (I shake my fist at you Riordan!)

Riordan reminds us that these heroes are only teenagers through Piper. Piper, now dating Jason for real, shows crazy, irrational jealousy with Reyna. No matter how often Jason explains that Reyna is his friend and a great warrior that they need to trust for this impending war, Piper can't help but let her jealousy get the best of her. As an adult reading this, she drove me crazy, but then again, she is a teenager and that is fairly accurate teenager actions. 

I also found it very interesting that the seven have been paired off with each other (all expect the seventh-wheel, Leo). Each of them seems to have found their match with each other, which is very coincidental.

Rating: PG

Recommended for those who enjoy: mythology, action, YA, and young love.

The Son of Neptune (The Heroes of Olympus #2): 3 Stars

 

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

He's back!  Missing from the first book of the the new series, Percy Jackson returns in the this book, minus his memories.  Much like Jason, Piper and Leo were taken to Camp Halfblood, the Greek demigod camp, Percy is taken to Camp Jupiter, the Roman demigod camp.  There he meets Reyna, Hazel, Frank...and Nico. Of course Percy doesn't remember Nico, but Nico definitely remembers Percy. 

Percy really enjoys Camp Jupiter and Camp Jupiter is amazed by Percy's talent.  But the fun and games end quickly when Mars, the god of war appears and tells them death has been chained. The team now must do what they can to correct the wrong and Percy must try to regain his memories and find out who is Annabeth, the girl who remains in his memory.

This was definitely not my favorite Percy Jackson book so far. After our introduction to Leo in the last book, I miss Leo.  I really wanted more Leo and, of course, he's not in this book. And while I like Reyna and her can-do attitude, I found Frank and Hazel to be big dull duds. Their characters were boring and did little to drive the plot forward. I found myself not caring about their pasts.  

Also, what is up with Nico?  I kept waiting for him to be revealed as the bad guy. He's very dark and broody, but then again, he is the son of Hades! 

Rating: PG

Recommended for those who enjoy: mythology, action, and young adult novels.

Robinson Crusoe: 3 Stars

Robinson Crusoe by Daniel Defoe

This is the ultimate child rebellion book. Robinson's parents want him to grow up, get an education, and become a lawyer.  Robinson wants to travel the world. In the 17th century, defying your parents and society wasn't as common or as easy as it is today. But Robinson did it. He boarded a ship and left his home without getting his parent's blessing.  Little did he know that the adventure he looked for, he would get tenfold.

After one shipwreck, you would think that Robinson would decide against heading to sea, but instead he heads right back out on another ship, only to be captured by pirates and enslaved. After escaping slavery, Robinson is able to get land and live in Brazil.  But his taste for the sea has not been satisfied still. 

After years of living on his plantation, Robinson decides that it is time to set sail again, and this time, the result is far worse.  The ship wrecks and Robinson is stranded on a an island all alone.  Or at least he thinks he's alone. He eventually finds out that there others on the island as well, but not exactly the friendliest of people. They are cannibals.

Robinson ends up rescuing a man from the cannibals who doesn't speak English.  He names him Friday and thus begins one of the greatest bromances in all of literature. Robinson teaches Friday English and teaches him about Christianity.  They two grow close and end up saving more people from the cannibals. Eventually they escape the island and Robinson heads home, decades after he left.With his family long gone, Robinson moves back to his plantation in Brazil with his best friend.

This book was entertaining and funny.  I struggled quite a bit with how it was written. I felt like Defoe focused so much on the mundane details and not as much on the action a I would have liked. The reason for this had far more to do with the social practices of the time the book was written. The majority of these practices are dead, thus making the details of things (like the origins of the name Crusoe) very boring to read about. But, alas, this is one of the perils of reading literature that is hundreds of years old. 

At the end of the day, the story is very entertaining and engaging. 

Rating: PG

Recommended for those who enjoy: action, adventure, pirates, and classics.

The Lost Hero: 4 Stars

The Lost Hero by Rick Riordan

I promised someone I would get all caught up on this series before the final book came out in October. This is the first book in the second Percy Jackson series, The Heroes of Olympus.  

Thinking that this was like the previous Percy Jackson series, I was shocked to find one thing missing from this book: Percy! As it turns out, the "Lost Hero" of The Lost Hero is indeed Percy and Annabeth is searching for him.  But Annabeth is not alone. Annabeth discovers three unknown demigods in the world and wonders why they were not claimed by their parents before. First, there's Jason, who has no recollection of who he is or where he came from. Then there is Piper, Jason's girlfriend, or so she thought, but with his missing memory, it looks like that may be a lie. And finally there is Leo, Jason's best friend with a sense of humor and dark past. The question is, where did these three come from and where is Percy? 

Considering I am not much of a series reader and this is the second series for the same character, I was shocked to realize that I liked this book more than all of the first series. Not only are Percy and Annabeth older and more mature (making it far more enjoyable for me to read), but the addition of Leo was well done. It took about half of the book before I knew that Leo was going to be my favorite character of the entire Percy Jackson world. He's clever, funny, and loyal. He's a brilliant side character with excellent character development and a deep past that makes him so much more then just the goofy sidekick. 

Well done Riordan! 

Rating: PG

Recommended for those who enjoy: action, adventure, humor, and mythology.

Lord of the Flies: 4 Stars

 

Lord of the Flies by William Golding

Lord of the Flies is one of those books that I always meant to read, but since it wasn't required in high school, I hadn't. But I added the book to my Classics List so I would finally read it.

I didn't know what to expect from the book, but when I picked it up from the library, two of my sisters saw it and both asked why I was torturing myself with this terrible book. I thought maybe I made a big mistake and that maybe I should skip it. But I read it anyway and was very glad I did. 

The book takes place during a war. After an attack on the city, an evacuation takes place and all the boys from the local schools are put on a plane.  But when the plane crashes on a deserted island, the boys soon realize they are without adult supervision or immediate rescue. It's up to them to save themselves.

Ralph is the first boy to step up and take charge with a young chubby kid they call Piggy by his side. Ralph's first priority is to get a fire going on the top of a hill so they have a constant smoke signal going so all passing ships can see it. Then he works on shelters and food. It doesn't take long before the boys are getting hungry and realize that hunting is more difficult than they expected. Also, several of the young boys claim that they have witnessed a giant beast in the forest and are scared. 

A young boy named Jack decides he will make a better leader.  He convinces the boys to abandon the fire and smoke signal and all together they go hunting to catch a boar. Once they have eaten, he gains confidence in his leading abilities, and when Ralph fights back, Jack leads against Ralph, promising safety from the beast.  And this is when all hell breaks loose. 

Golding does a phenomenal job of describing young boys without any direction and the desire to have power. You have Ralph who understands that food, shelter and safety are important, but since being rescued is the end goal, puts a smoke signal as the number one priority.  Then you have Jack, who abandons all other endeavors to tackle whatever task the majority grumbles about most. Without rules, there is no one to keep them in line, or prevent them from taking things too far. 

The imagery of Ralph on the beach on the beginning of the book and again at the end of the book shows the end of innocence. The dramatic change you see in Ralph is amazing and thought provoking. It made me think a lot about my own life. Do I side with the person that has my best interest at heart or the person who has my interest for that moment? Do I prioritize my life based on what others view as important or based on what I really want in the long run?

This is a book I can see myself reading again because it was so thought-provoking.

Rating: PG

Recommended for those who enjoy: dystopian, action, adventure, and thought-provoking books. 

The Last Olympian (Percy Jackson and the Olympians #5): 3 Stars

The Last Olympian by Rick Riordan

This is the final book in the Percy Jackson and the Olympian series. The fight against Kronos has reached the final battle. Annabeth, Grover, and Percy must now face Luke, a task Annabeth is heart broken over. But with all the gods busy trying to keep the world in order, Mount Olympus is vacant and it's up to Percy to save it. It doesn't help that Mount Olympus is in the Empire State Building in New York; the same New York Percy's mother and step father are in. He must succeed, or all is lost.

I love the way Riordan's mind works. This entire series is based on a prophecy; a prophecy everyone assumes is about Percy. Percy is the hero afterall.  He's Camp Half Blood's golden boy. But what if they are wrong?

Riordan always keeps me guessing and never stops surprising me. I love that. I find some children's books far too predictable, but not his. His books are funny, engaging, and entertaining.

That being said, sometimes the teenage angst is too much for me. While it's true that teenagers are emotional and not always logical, it doesn't mean it doesn't drive me crazy.

Rating: PG

Recommended for those that enjoys: children's books, action, adventure, mythology, and humor.

Peter Pan: 4 Stars

 

Peter Pan by JM Barrie 

I thought today would be a good day to review Peter Pan because when I think of Peter Pan, I often think of Robin Williams and his portrayal of Peter in the movie Hook. I remember watching that movie over and over as a child and it helps explain why Robin Williams was my favorite actor as a child (that and because he was the Genie!) His charisma and humor will be greatly missed.

Like I am sure most of you know, Peter Pan is about a little orphan boy who ran away to Neverland where he never grew up. He would occasionally sneak back to the real world to hear stories outside the Darling home. But one day, Peter lost his shadow. Desperate to get it back, Peter returned to the home with the help of Tinkerbell, a fairy. Lucky for Peter, Mr. Darling had decided to tie up Nana, the kid's dog, outside. Peter was able to get into the home easily, but not quietly. He accidentally woke up Wendy, who helped him reattach his shadow. Soon John and Michael were awake and the three decided to join Peter in Neverland. 

Neverland wasn't just a home for Peter, but a home for many young boys called the Lost Boys. But the Lost Boys weren't the only inhabitants. There were mermaids, Indians, pirates, and fairies! The adventure begins when the pirate captain, Captain Hook, sees an opportunity to finally capture his arch nemesis Peter Pan, thanks to a jealous Tinkerbell.

The story was cute and fun, just like I had imagined it would be. I really enjoyed the imagery that Barrie was able to convey in the book. I highly recommend this for young and old alike.

Rating: G

Recommended for those who enjoy: children's books, pirates, adventure, action, and humor.

Treasure Island: 3 Stars

Treasure Island by Robert Louis Stevenson

Before reading this book, I already knew most of the plot details, thanks the the Disney film I grew up watching.  Given that this movie came out over 30 years before I was born, many of you may not be as familiar with it. Well, I decided to look up and see where the young Jim Hawkins was now, perhaps finding he was in a movie someone may recognize. Turns out, young Bobby Driscoll lived a tragic life. After becoming a child star, Bobby's life became rocky as jobs didn't come as easily but drugs did. He died at the young age of 31, found in an abandoned building. Unable to identify him, he was buried as a John Doe. Nineteen months after his body was found, his mother sought after him, trying to reunite him with his dying father.  Such a tragic end, and I can't watch the movie the same anymore. 

Anyhow, back to the book! 

Young Jim Hawkins works in an inn with his father, when an old pirate known as "the captain" arrives, paying Jim to keep lookout for other pirates. Two come, scaring "the captain" who ends up dying from a stroke, leaving behind a chest for Jim. In the chest is a map. With the help of a man name Trelawney, Jim joins a crew to go find this treasure, lead by Long John Silver, a pirate that might not be trustworthy. Adventure begins! 

The movie actually followed the book pretty closely and the plot was very close to accurate.  That took away from some of the fun of reading, since I already knew what was going to happen. On occasion, I found the book to be just a smidge boring, but that is due to it being a bit dated (it was written in 1883 after all). 

But at the end of the day it was a fun book and I enjoyed it.  Also, the audiobook was read by Alfred Molina and he did a marvelous job! 

Rating: PG

Recommended for those who like children's books, adventure, pirates, and action.