Again, I lost my notes on The House of Hades. I vaguely remember comparing it to the Harry Potter series as I was reading this one.* While the book feels dangerous, I don't know that I ever believed any of the characters would die.

I like that we hear the story from several characters, but sometimes that does make for confusing reading. Especially since the characters aren't all together anymore.

*The comparison was unfavorable towards The Heroes of Olympus, but then the comparison was unfair to begin with. Very few series should be compared to Harry Potter.

Percy and Annabeth

Well, the two heroes that I like best are back (they get their storyline). They go through the depths of the evilest place in the world and happen to make a few friends while they’re at it also. The other heroes all go through their quests with their quirks and their powers beginning to show. We also learn of Nico and what is vital to him (why he does everything he does). It feels like there are too many characters in this series. I don’t know about you, but I’m getting exhausted switching between so many characters and trying to keep the stories intact.

Thoughts

I feel like I read this book ages ago. I’ve started writing again so my mornings for reading have gotten shorter. I read this on a plane from Munich to Edinburgh and back again. So, this book has travelled quite a bit with me. I find it nice to read on aeroplanes, it’s relaxing and gives you something to do for the shorter (1-4 hour) flights to do.

Themes

Now, I like to mention themes in all my new reviews. Obviously, since Percy and Annabeth survive in the worst place possible, through impossible odds, one theme I believe prevalent here is the idea of good v. evil. That there is inherently evil people in this world (monsters), and there are good people in this world (heroes). That good will overcome all obstacles. We almost see Percy turn evil at one point of the story, but Annabeth saves him from himself and talks Percy out of the act of evilness. I believe this also plays into the theme of good v. evil, but in another way, in that, there are good and bad sides to everyone. We also see this (spoiler alert) with one of the Titans, who should be an evil creation, but he turns out to be a really good guy.

I guess another theme in this book would also be courage. As with a lot of Riordan’s books in the Percy Saga, courage is something all heroes need. They need the courage to face their worst fears. They need the courage to overcome their greatest weakness. They need the courage to be a hero.

Recommendation

Well, I think if you have liked all the earlier books, you’ll definitely continue to like this book. There is quite a lot of character building in this book, but it still feels like I am watching too many characters in the spotlight. Riordan keeps track of the seven heroes throughout the story, but it can feel overwhelming at times.

Favorite book of the month: Firstborn by Brandon Sanderson

Honorable Mentions: The House of Hades by Rick Riordan (and, honestly, every thing else in that series, though that might have been my favorite. Maybe?), Ammie, Come Home by Barbara Michaels

Longest: Dreamsongs. Volume 1 by (surprise, surprise) George R. R. Martin

New series I'm adding to "favorites": Percy Jackson and the Olympians and The Heroes of Olympus, both by Rick Riordan

New authors to follow: Rick Riordan, Sarah Waters, Wendy Webb

Total books read: 24

Re-reads: 4, all Barbara Michaels books

Total pages read: 9482

Average pages per book: 395

Average pages per day: 305

Scores:

1: 0

2: 2

3: 11

4: 10

5: 1

Did not finish: 0

Average: 3.42

That is abnormally high for me. I blame Rick Riordan, honestly. All of those books were phenomenal.

Reviews Written: 14

This was a slower month since I picked up cross stitch again and I have yet to figure out how to properly combine the two. At any rate, I finished all of the rest of the Percy Jackson books and have desperately attempted to make everyone else I know read them, up to and including loading them on various people's Kindles for them. They might be my new obsession. I have vague but rapidly solidifying plans of Halloween costumes and also possibly re-reading them again next month, though I am attempting to convince myself to wait at least two months before I jump at them again. There are an awful lot of other books to read...

I also ended up on a gothic horror kick, though I was moderately disappointed in several of them until I ended up back with the tried-and-true Barbara Michaels, who rarely disappoints. My library system was remarkably generous in responding to my requests for them to buy all of her books in Kindle format, which helped. 

I'm two for two on Brandon Sanderson books--everything by him I have actually read I have given a five. I really need to follow up on this--he is alarmingly prolific, so there is a lot for me to read.

I'm looking forward to June, given it is my birthday month and mostly I ask for books or book money, so there should be lots for me to read. How much reading I will actually get done might be more questionable, admittedly.

How did everyone else's May go? Read lots of things? Anyone else find a new obsession?