Friday 30 December 2016

EOM Wrap Up December

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I have read 3 books this month:

The Titan's Curse (Percy Jackson and the Olympians #3) by Rick Riordan
Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell
The Secrets We Kept by Lily Velez


I have reviewed 6 books this month:

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The Sin Eater's Daughter by Melinda Salisbury
The Lightning Thief (Percy Jackson and the Olympians #1) by Rick Riordan
The Sea of Monster (Percy Jackson and the Olympians #2) by Rick Riordan
The Titan's Curse (Percy Jackson and the Olympians #2) by Rick Riordan
Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell
The Secrets We Kept by Lily Velez

Other Posts:

Top Ten Tuesday #97Top Ten New-To-Me Authors That I Read For The First Time In 2016
Top Ten Tuesday #98Top Ten Books I'm Looking Forward To For The First Half Of 2017
Top Ten Tuesday #99Ten Books I Wouldn't Mind Leaving Santa Under My Tree 
Top Ten Tuesday #100: Top Ten Best Books Of 2016

Waiting On Wednesday #136: The Scarecrow Queen by Melinda Salisbury 
Waiting On Wednesday #137: Flame in the Mist by Renée Ahdieh
Waiting On Wednesday #138: Blood Rose Rebellion (Blood Rose Rebellion #1) by Rosalyn Eves
Waiting On Wednesday #139: Caraval by Stephanie Garber



New Book Releases in December
Author Interview: Fred Holmes author of The Ugly Teapot

Elien

Thursday 29 December 2016

Author Interview: Fred Holmes author of The Ugly Teapot

29749200Title: The Ugly Tea Pot
Author: Fred Holmes
Genre: Fantasy, Adeventure, Middle Grade/Young Adult
Publication date: March 30th 2016
Pages: 205 (kindle)
Buy links: Amazon







Fourteen-year-old Hannah Bradbury loved her father so much that she worried about him constantly. After all, he was a photographer who traveled to the most dangerous places in the world. 

To allay her fears, each time he came home he brought her silly gifts, each one with supposed magical powers: the Seal of Solomon, the Ring of Gyges, even Alladin's Lamp. It was that lamp Hannah found the most unbelievable, for it looked like an ugly teapot. Nevertheless, her father assured her it was real, and made her promise to save her three wishes for something special.

Then.... six months later.... the unthinkable happened. Her father was killed while on assignment to Baghdad. And so on the day of his funeral Hannah did something she never thought she would ever do. 

She took out that teapot and gave it a rub...

The Ugly Teapot by Fred Holmes is a timeless tale, filled with magic and adventure. More importantly, it will make you believe in the overwhelming power of love.



About the author


The Ugly Teapot is Fred Holmes's first fiction novel, having previously ghost written nonfiction book, Letters From Dad, published by Thomas Nelson. He is known primarily as a writer and director of films and television, working primarily in family films an children's television. His work can be seen on Mary Lou Retton's Flip Flop Shop, Barney & Friends, Wishbone, Horseland, In Search of The Heroes, and many other shows, for which he has won two Emmys and three CINE Golden Eagles, among numerous other shows. He has also directed three feature films including Dakota, starring Lou Diamond Phillips, distributed by Miramax, and Heart Land, a Bollywood film shot on location in India. He lives with his wife and son in the southwest United States, and can be found online at www.fholmes.com


Interview 


Q: How did you come up with the idea for your book?
A: THE UGLY TEAPOT began as a screenplay called FIREFLIES that I wrote in response to the death of my brother. He died very young from cancer, and it took seven years to kill him because he tried so hard to live. I was with him through it all and it was awful. After he died, I was struggling with a lot of emotions that I was finally able to vent in FIREFLIES; and eventually FIREFLIES became THE UGLY TEAPOT.


Q: Whose work inspires you?
A: I have so many favorite authors it would be impossible to name them all. I will say that I’m a huge fan of Neil Gaiman, Patrick Rothfuss, George R. R. Martin, J K Rowling, Stephen King, Ken Follet, Orson Scott Card, Stephanie Meyer, Terry Pratchett, and a little known, very obscure writer named Fred Holmes. Yes, it is perfectly fine, in my opinion, to like your own writing. If you don’t believe in yourself, no one else will. But perhaps my favorite author of all is Ray Bradbury. He wrote my favorite novel of all time, DANDELION WINE. Why I connect with that book so viscerally, I have no idea, because it is about a time in which I did not live, and a place I’ve never been, and yet I absolutely adore it. A big reason why is Ray’s use of language. His writing is about as close to poetry as one can get. As a side note: Years ago, before Ray died, he was working with my friend, Jerry Molen, on the movie version of THE MARTIAN CHRONOCLES for Universal. Jerry was telling me about working with Ray, and I told Jerry what a huge fan I was of DANDELION WINE. Sure enough, the next day when I showed up in Jerry’s office at DreamWorks, he handed me an autographed copy of DANDELION WINE. And on the inside of the cover, Ray had drawn a picture of a dandelion and written, “Fred, this dandelion is for you!” It remains one of my most prized possessions.


Q: You have a day job as a screenwriter, how different is it from writing a book?
A: Very different in a lot of ways. In screenplays you only write down what the audience will see and hear. Actors do not like you giving a lot of screen direction in terms of how they should be feeling or behaving, and directors don’t want you telling them how to block the action. Consequently, a well-written screenplay is simply a blueprint for how the movie should be constructed; and at its best simply conveys emotion. In a novel you are given more leeway. You can get inside the characters’ minds and portray their thoughts and emotions; so it’s much easier to build well-rounded characters. Also, screenplays have their own unique structure, use as few words as possible, and are meant to be shot, not read. Novels, on the other hand, have a stronger emphasis on good grammar, etc. But what is true in both mediums is that the screenwriter and the novelist both must be able to write dialog.


Q: The Ugly Teapot was originally a screenplay, how did it turn into a novel?
A: As I meantioned earlier, THE UGLY TEAPOT began life as a screenplay called FIREFLIES. My agent shopped FIREFLIES all over Hollywood and it was optioned numerous times by several high profile producers. One of those producers was Jerry Molen, who had won the Academy Award for producing SCHINDLER’S LIST (with Spielberg and Branko Lustig). Jerry loved FIREFLIES, but for a lot of frustrating reasons he was never able to get it made. Then one day a friend of mine at Disney read it, loved it, and suggested I turn it into a novel. I’d always wanted to try my hand at writing a novel, so I turned FIREFLIES into THE UGLY TEAPOT and sent it out into the cold, cruel world. Hopefully it will bring solace to those like myself who have gone through something traumatic in their lives.


Q: Which scene in the book was the most fun to write?
A: The opening scene was the most fun to write because it set everything up. It also took the longest time to write. I have no idea how many times I rewrote it, including just before the book was published—which drove my editor crazy!


Q: How would you describe The Ugly Teapot in three words?
A: Love conquers all.


Q: Could you tell us one silly fact about yourself?
A: I’ve always wanted to be an astronaut. I even applied to the program, but they told me they didn’t take short, fat, ugly people. Just kidding! They were very nice. I just didn’t have the requisite flying experience or a background in science. However, I made up for it by directing a lot of films for NASA and got to know a bunch of astronauts like Sally Ride, Charlie Duke, Gordo Cooper, Neil Armstrong, Buzz Aldrin, Ken Reightler, and John Glenn. I got to shoot inside one of the Space Shuttles and got to attend two launches.


Q: If you had to choose between being a fulltime novelist or a screenwriter what would it be?
A: I would be a novelist. For two reasons: one, I’ve been writing screenplays for a long time and I relish trying something new; and two, I love the freedom that comes with writing a novel. You can delve more deeply into character, etc.

Q: Why should everybody read The Ugly Teapot?
A: Why should anyone read any story? First, a good story teaches you empathy. You get to walk in someone else’s shoes for awhile. Second, a good story broadens your horizons. You learn that it’s a great big world out there with diverse ways of living and thinking, and learning about this diversity makes you a better, more well-rounded human being. And third, a good story teaches you to dream. It makes you realize you can accomplish so much more than you ever thought you could. Does THE UGLY TEAPOT embody all of these objectives? I sure hope so. I tried my best to portray them. And I would be honored if folks would give it a chance.


Q: Is there anything you would like to tell your readers?
A: I’m currently working on the sequel to THE UGLY TEAPOT, and I hope you’ll come along for the ride. Aladdin’s Lamp has taken up residence in a small village nestled in the Great Smokey Mountains of Tennessee, and the townspeople there will never be the same. Some of them will live, some will die, and some will...well...you’ll just have to read it to find out!

Thank you so much Fred!

Elien

Wednesday 28 December 2016

Waiting on Wednesday #139: Caraval by Stephanie Garber


Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Jill over at Breaking the Spine. It spotlights books that have not yet been released, but ones that you should pre-order today! This week's book that I am anxiously awaiting is:

Caraval 
by Stephanie Garber

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Welcome, welcome to Caraval - Stephanie Garber's sweeping tale of two sisters who escape their ruthless father when they enter the dangerous intrigue of a legendary game. 

Scarlett has never left the tiny island where she and her beloved sister, Tella, live with their powerful, and cruel, father. Now Scarlett's father has arranged a marriage for her, and Scarlett thinks her dreams of seeing Caraval, the far-away, once-a-year performance where the audience participate in the show, are over.

But this year, Scarlett's long-dreamt of invitation finally arrives. With the help of a mysterious sailor, Tella whisks Scarlett away to the show. Only, as soon as they arrive, Tella is kidnapped by Caraval's mastermind organizer, Legend. It turns out that this season's Caraval revolves around Tella, and whoever finds her first is the winner.

Scarlett has been told that everything that happens during Caraval is only an elaborate performance. But she nevertheless becomes enmeshed in a game of love, heartbreak, and magic with the other players in the game. And whether Caraval is real or not, she must fin Tella before the five nights of the game are over, or a dangerous domino effect of consequences is set off, and her sister disappears forever.

Goodreads

Why I Can't Wait


I have seen this book around so much lately and it sounds so interesting. I really cannot wait to find out myself what Caraval is all about!

Expected publication date: January 31st 2016

Elien

Tuesday 27 December 2016

Top Ten Tuesday #100: Top Ten Best Books Of 2016


Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted over at Broke and Bookish. This weeks topic is Top Ten Best Books Of 2016

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1. Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell
2. Me Before You by Jojo Moyes
3. Eleanor & Park by Rainbow Rowell
4. The Wrath & The Dawn by RenĂ©e Ahdieh
5. The Book Thief by Marku Zusak
6. It's Not Me, It's You by Mhairi McFarlane
7. Walk the Edge by Katie McGarry
8. The Rosie Effect by Graeme Simsion
9. The Fill-In Boyfriend by Katie West
10. The Ruby Circle by Richelle Mead

Elien

Monday 26 December 2016

Review: The Secrets We Kept by Lily Velez

26096043Title: The Secrets We Kept
Author: Lily Velez
Genre: Contemporary, Romance, Young Adult
Publisher: Blue Typewriter Press
Publication date: November 8th 2015
Pages: 366 (paperback)
Source: Netgalley






One year. That's how long it's been since childhood sweethearts Sully Graham and Cadence Gilbertson broke up, since one adoption and one out-of-state move turned their worlds upside down. 

Suddenly, Cadence is back in New York City, but something's different about her. The light in her eyes, the music in her laughter, the warmth in her smile - all of those things have entirely vanished. In their place stand the makings of a girl Sully can't even begin to recognize, much less understand.

Still, despite the collective history of heartbreak between them, he's convinced he can win her trust again, and he's committed to proving the invincibility of their love no matter what it takes.

But Cadence is quietly harboring secrets of her own. Dark secrets. Ugly secrets. Secrets that could break a person. An though broken herself and unbearably alone, she's determined to protect Sully from her terrible, biting truths. Even if it means locking him out of her life forever.

The only problem is it seems her heart hasn't quite received the memo. One glimpse of him is all it takes for her to trip into familiar (and, she'll admit, addictive) feelings that threaten to all but consume her. No her biggest fear is that her secrets will begin to slowly unravel one by one.... long before Sully's resolve ever does.

The Secrets We Kept is a moving story about first love, friendship, and forgiveness, and the enduring bonds that forever connect us and give us our strength.


When I first requested The Secrets We Kept I did not know what to expect of it. At first it was just the cover that attracted me to the book. It is a really simple cover but at the same time really beautiful as well. After reading the synopsis I knew that I had to read this book. The foster system is something that should be paid more attention to. So I was glad that The Secrets We Kept portrayed two teens that had grown up in the foster care system.

The Secrets We Kept revolves around Sully and Cadence. They both were in the foster system and that’s how they initially met. But then Cadence’s parents decide to move to the other side of the country which is the start of a lot of problems that will arise and eventually it leads to a breakup between the two. After a year Cadence moves back and Sully thinks that they can amend things and pick up their lives where they left off. But things are different, Cadence is different and she will not let anyone in to help her. Cadence has closed her off from everyone she loves because she does not want to hurt them more than she has to. She has hiding something big that is slowly killing her. They both have to decide if the other is worth fighting for.

It was amazing how well-developed all the characters in this book were and I loved each and every one of them. They all had their unique characteristics but what bound them all together was the foster system. I really felt for Cadence, she never had an easy childhood and when finally thinks start to look better her whole world gets turned upside down again. She was really stubborn and withdrawn a lot of the time. But I couldn’t blame her for that; she was carrying a heavy burden on her shoulders all by herself. She felt like she had to deal with everything alone because it was her fault. I could not imagine living like she did and while her decisions might not have been always the wisest I did respect her because of it. And in general I really liked her as a character. Sully was another great character. I liked how determined he was about being with Cadence and to figure out what was going on with her. A lot of people might have given up already by how closed off she was. He was really loyal towards her but like her he was carrying a heavy burden on his shoulders. The only thing that bugged me after a while was that he did always put Cadence on the first place. While at times he should have thought about himself first for a change or about his younger brother. He also needed him to be there in his life.

It was really hard to put The Secrets We Kept down; I just wanted to keep reading it. Especially since I wanted to find out what had happened during the time that Cadence was away and what changed her. And when her secrets were finally unraveled I wanted to know how everyone around her would deal with it. This was a really good book that kept me interested until the very last page.

Overall, I really enjoyed this book. The characters were lovely and the plot was really interesting. I would really recommend this book if you are looking for a YA book that deals with some heavier issues. 


Elien

Sunday 25 December 2016

Sunday Post #38 and Stacking the Shelves #70

Sunday Post

The Sunday Post is a weekly meme hosted @Caffeinated Book Reviewer. It's a chance to share news ~ A post to recap the past week on your blog, showcase books and things we have received. Share news about what is coming up on your blog for the week ahead.


Merry Christmas everyone! I hope you are all having a wonderful day with your families. This week has been really good. On Thursday I exchanged gifts with my boyfriend since he couldn't come home with me for Christmas. And then on Friday evening I left for Belgium and I am here for a whole week so it should be really nice. So far it seems like all I have done is gone from one Christmas dinner to the next and have too much food. But it has been a really good time so far. 


Last week on the blog:



Next week on the blog:

  • Monday: Review: The Secrets We Kept by Lily Velez
  • Tuesday: Top Ten Tuesday #100: Top Ten Books Of 2016 
  • Wednesday: Waiting On Wednesday #139
  • Thursday: Author Interview: Fred Holms author of The Ugly Teapot
  • Friday: EOM Wrap Up December


Stacking the Shelves aim is to showcase our newest books or book related swag and to see what everyone else received for review, borrowed from libraries, bought in bookshops and downloaded onto eReaders this week. This Sunday meme is hosted by Tynga's Reviews:

I received a couple of books for Christmas this year and also some review books.

Gift: 

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Bleak House by Charles Dickens
Four (Divergent #0.1-#0.4) by Veronica Roth

Review: 

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The Pharaoh's Cat by Maria Luisa Lang
The Eye of Nefertiti by Maria Luisa Lang

Elien

Friday 23 December 2016

Review: Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell

19174917Title: Fangirl
Author: Rainbow Rowell
Genre: Contemporary, Young Adult
Publisher: Pan Macmillan
Publication date: September 10th 2013
Pages: 459 (paperback)
Source: own it








Cath and Wren are identical twins, and until recently they did absolutely everything together. Now they're off to university and Wren's decided she doesn't want to be one half of a pair any more - she wants to dance, meet boys, go to parties and let loose. It's not so easy for Cath. She would rather bury herself in the fanfiction she writes where there's romance far more intense than anything she's experienced in real life. 

Now Cath has to decide whether she's ready to open her hear to new people and new experiences, and she's realizing that there's more to learn about love than she ever though possible. 

A tale of fanfiction, family, and first love.


Earlier this year I read Eleanor & Park and I absolutely adored that book. So I wanted to read more by Rainbow Rowell.

I always had put off reading Fangirl; I just found that it sounded a bit weird for some reason. I think that it was the whole fanfiction writing that put me off. Not that I find Fanfiction weird, I used to read quite a lot of it a couple of years ago. But just a story about a fangirl did not sound that appealing to me. But after reading Eleanor & Park and seeing how awesome Rainbow Rowell is I had to pick this book up and I am so glad that I did. This book is truly amazing!

Fangirl is a book that everyone should read when they are about to go to college. I wish I would have read it back. Well I wished it had been out back then actually, since it even did not exist when I started college. Some of the things that Rainbow Rowell described where so recognizable to me. Like avoiding the dining hall because you just did not know how it worked and you did not want to come across as the weird one. As well as feeling out of place sometimes. I think that a lot of students struggle with some of these things when they first start college and recognize themselves in Cath. I could definitely relate to Cath, I am an introvert myself. And I get how much energy some simple tasks can seem to take. Sometimes it is too easy to stay in your own comfort zone and the author portrays that so accurately. And I loved that she showed that it can be rewarding sometimes to step out of your comfort zone and to take risks.

I absolutely loved Cath, she is a vulnerable character but at the same time she is really headstrong. And the girl has an amazing sense of humor as well. It is no wonder that she knows how to charm people even though she does not want to do that at all. And she had charmed me within the very first pages of the book.  Levi was such a great character as well; I loved how happy he seemed to be all the time. I believe that we all need a person like him in our lives. Who is always there for us no matter what and who hardly ever seems to be down. And in so many ways he completed Cath so well. He had just such a warm personality that you cannot help but love him.

Another thing that I really liked about this book was that Cath’s parents took an active role in this book. Or at least her dad and that Rowell was not afraid to portray him with his own faults. He is a great dad but live is just a bit more difficult for Cath and Wren thanks to his mental illness. But people need to realize that a mental illness does not define someone’s life. Cath’s father might not have been perfect but he would do anything for his daughters.


I really loved this book and again I cannot believe how long I put off reading it. This book is just so amazing, from the storyline to the characters. It is just one amazing read and I was genuinely upset when I had finished reading it because I did not want it to end!


Elien


Thursday 22 December 2016

Concert Review: The Amity Affliction at the Roundhouse London

foto van Elien Mauriën.Band: The Amity Affliction
Opening bands: Wage War, Stray from the Path and Northlane
Venue: The Roundhouse London
Date: December 6th 2016










By now you probably all start to realize how much that I love to go to concerts. In some way they are just really addictive. So the other week I went to the last concert that I had planned for this year and that was The Amity Affliction.

At first I was not sure if I would be going to this one since I am not a big fan of one of the bands they were touring with. But in the end I decided that it would be worth it since the other bands were all great. And I am glad that I decided to go because the evening was great.  Wage War was the first band of the evening to play; they are still a relatively young band with only one album. I had never heard of them before until I found out that they would be touring with The Amity Affliction.  I am so glad that I discovered them because this band is truly amazing and I can see them doing some great things in the future. After them it was Stray From the Path, they weren’t bad at all and I truly enjoyed listening to their music. But I do not think that it’s a band that I would just frequently listen to in my free time. But it was still good fun to see them live and the crowd seemed to love them as well.  After that it was time for Northlane to take the stage. And this is the band that I am not the biggest fan of.  With their music it is that I like some parts of their songs but I absolute dislike other parts. I cannot put my finger exactly on it why that is but it just has always been like that with them for every song. I was hoping that I would like them better when I saw them life, but that wasn’t really the case. But maybe it is just me since a lot of people seem to absolutely love them and they were all having an excellent time.

Finally after the long wait The Amity Affliction came on the stage. I got to know this band last year and I fell in love with them from the start. Their lyrics are so strong and to the point. And if you combine that with their instrumental skills, well it just blows you away. I had already seen them live earlier in the year at a festival and I enjoyed them so much that I wanted to go see them again. Especially since they had a new album out this year. I am so glad that I did go see them again. They were so good! It was insane; I just completely lost myself in the music. Even more so in their old songs. Maybe it is just because some of them hit so close to home. Anyway the guys were great again and it was everything that I could have asked for.


Overall the evening was great. The music was amazing most of the time and the vibe that the crowd gave off was good as well. I cannot wait for next year and for more concerts!

Elien

Wednesday 21 December 2016

Waiting on Wednesday #138: Blood Rose Rebellion (Blood Rose Rebellion #1) by Rosalyn Eves


Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Jill over at Breaking the Spine. It spotlights books that have not yet been released, but ones that you should pre-order today! This week's book that I am anxiously awaiting is:

Blood Rose Rebellion 
by Rosalyn Eves

31020402

The thrilling first book in a YA fantasy trilogy for fans of Red Queen. In a world where social prestige derives from a trifecta of blood, money, and magic, one girl has the ability to break the spell that holds the social order in place. 

Sixteen-year-old Anna Arden is barred from society by a defect of blood. Though her family is part of the Luminate, powerful users of magic, she is Barren, unable to perform the simplest spells. Anna would do anything to belong. But her fate takes another course when, after inadvertently breaking her sister's debutante spell - an important chance for a highborn young woman to show her prowess with magic - Anna finds herself exiled to her family's once powerful but now crumbling native Hungary.

Her life might well be over. 

In Hungary, Anna discovers that nothing is quite as it seems. Not the people around her, from her aloof cousin NoĂ©mi to her fierce and handsome Romani GĂ¡bor. Not the society she's known all her life, for discontent with the Luminate is sweeping the land. And not her lack of magic. Isolated from the only world she cares about, Anna still can't seem to stop herself from breaking spells.

As rebellion spreads across the region, Anna's unique ability becomes the catalyst everyone is seeking. In the company of nobles, revolutionaries, and Romanies, Anna must choose: deny her unique power and cling to the life she's always wanted, or embrace her ability and change the world forever.

Goodreads


Why I Can't Wait


This book just sounds amazing. Magic, rebellion... all the right ingredients for a great read.

Expected publication date: March 28th 2017

Elien

Tuesday 20 December 2016

Top Ten #99: Ten Books I Wouldn't Mind Santa Leaving Under My Tree


Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted over at Broke and Bookish. This weeks topic is Ten Books I Wouldn't Mind Santa Leaving Under My Tree

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  1. The Sleeping Prince (The Sin's Eaters Daughter #2) by Melinda Salisbury
  2. The Glittering Court (The Glittering Court #1) by Richelle Mead
  3. Illuminae (The Illuminae Files #1) by Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff
  4. The Rose & The Dagger (The Wrath & the Dawn) by RenĂ©e Adhieh
  5. Harry Potter and the Cursed Child (Harry Potter #8) by J.K Rowling, Jack Tiffany and Jack Thorne
  6. P.S. I Like You by Kasie West
  7. Fantastic Beasts and Where To Find Them: The Original Screenplay by J.K Rowling
  8. Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone (Illustrated version) by J.K. Rowling and Jim Kay
  9. Outlander (Outlander #1) by Diana Gabaldon
  10. A Game of Thrones: The Graphic Novel, Vol.1 by Daniel Abraham, George R.R. Martin

Elien

Monday 19 December 2016

Review: The Titan's Curse (Percy Jackson and the Olympians #3) by Rick Riordan

561456Title: The Titan's Curse 
Author: Rick Riordan
Series: Percy Jackson and the Olympians 
Genre: Fantasy, Mythology, Middle Grade
Publisher: Puffin Books
Publication date: May 5th 2007
Pages: 320 (paperback)
Source: own it






It's not everyday you find yourself in combat with a half-lion, half-human. 

But when you're the son of a Greek god, it happens. And now my friend Annabeth is missing, a goddess is in chains and only five half-blood heroes can join the quest to defeat the doomsday monster. 

Oh, and guess what? The Oracle has predicted that not all of us will survive...


The more books that I read in the series the more I do not understand why it took me so long to read them in the first place. This series is so entertaining and so much fun to read! 

I loved this book even more so that the first two books in this series. In some ways it is a bit repetitive as well. They go on a quest, things go not as they originally planned and they get themselves into lots of trouble. But eventually the find a way out of a tricky situation. As far as I can see that is the major outline of all the books in this series, of at least so far it is. But this one also had a different storyline in it, and I have been waiting for this storyline for ages. You could see it coming in the first two books, Chronos who was possibly making his rise to power again. But in The Titan’s Curse his plan finally became so much clearer. And that is probably what I liked so much about this book. It was a lot of the same but at the same time it was also different.

Rick Riordan keeps weaving Greek mythology in his books in a great way. I really love getting to know more about it in this way. I mean it is all told in a really entertaining way so it is impossible to get bored with it. What I especially liked about the Titan’s Curse was that we got to know more about the mythological people that lived when Chronos had all the power, such as Atlas. I have never known much about them so it is really interesting to read about them.

Riordan also has the habit of introducing new characters in every book and I loved that. The Huntresses were pretty cool. I mean who doesn’t want immortality and then just have the chance to hunt the rest of your life? Sounds like a pretty good deal for a girl no? But I got this feeling that some of these new characters might cause quite a bit of trouble in the next books. Guess I will have to find out soon.


Overall I really enjoyed this book. This series is so much fun to read and since it is a middle grade series they also read really quickly. I cannot wait to read the last two books in this series. 


Elien