Book Review: Percy Jackson and the Sword of Hades by Rick Riordan

My Rating: 2 Stars

Goodreads says:

This title contains a brilliant "Percy Jackson" mini adventure plus "Horrible Histories Groovy Greeks" - a winning combo for "World Book Day!" The goddess Persephone has summoned Percy, Thalia and Nico to the Underworld in order to retrieve Hades' powerful sword before it falls into the wrong hands. Easier said than done in a world full of evil daimons, ghosts and ghouls. Not to mention Iapetos - brother of the powerful Titan lord, Kronos. This time the young demigods are really up against it - will Percy manage to return the sword before it's too late? 

My Review:

I am a huge Percy Jackson fan. I just LOVE the series and Rick with all my heart. As a result, when I heard about this book, I just HAD TO read it. But I am sorry to say this book disappointed me. Immensely.

The story line is an interesting one, that takes place in the Underworld. Persephone summons Percy, Thalia and Nico to help find Hades's sword that is built with a Death's key in the hilt (hope I got the term right :P) This key can lock and unlock death (I know! Right!) and also, theoretically, Tartarus. So it is imperious that Percy and gang get the sword back. They are given a potted carnation by Persephone that will help them catch the thief and if all it petals fall off, it means the thief has fled, all hopes lost (poor flower.... I would catch the thief just to save it LOLs). So Percy, Thalia and Nico set off with their flowery compass to catch the thief. And needless to say, they do so just at the right moment.

With ittie-bitties about Sisyphus, Melinoe and the river Lithe, this 5-chapter story has great potential but (I never thought I'd have to say this for a Rick book) it doesn't live up to it. Essentially it reads more like a fanfiction story than the author's original work. So, yeah. Disappointment overload.

So if you are a Percy Jackson fan, I'd say go for this only if you really HAVE to. The novella doesn't really affect the story-line at all so you can skip it without any regrets.

So my rating would be: 2 Stars

P.S.: I understand I might be a little biased in my rating. You see, if I didn't know how well Rick really writes, I would have given this one 3 stars. But since I do know that Rick's writing is awesomeness personified I justify 2 stars to be apt. 

Alrighty then guys, until next time, Happy Reading!!!

Book Review: Catching Jordan by Miranda Kenneally

My Rating: 2 & 1/2 stars

Goodreads says:

What girl doesn't want to be surrounded by gorgeous jocks day in and day out? Jordan Woods isn't just surrounded by hot guys, though-she leads them as the captain and quarterback of her high school football team. They all see her as one of the guys and that's just fine. As long as she gets her athletic scholarship to a powerhouse university.

But everything she's ever worked for is threatened when Ty Greeen moves to her school. Not only is he an amazing QB, but he's also amazingly hot. And for the first time, Jordan's feeling vulnerable. Can she keep her head in the game while her heart's on the line?

"Whoever said football and girls don't mix hasn't read Catching Jordan. I couldn't put it down " -- Simone Elkeles, New York Times bestselling author of the Perfect Chemistry series

"A beautiful novel with a real and captivating depiction of high school relationships, Catching Jordan shows the same reverence for the human heart that it does for the game of football." --Karsten Knight, author of Wildefire

My review:

First and foremost, let me tell you I am not a Chick Lit fan. I don't really bother with these books, but since this was a reccommendation from a dear friend, I decided: What the heck! Lemme give this a try! And well, I don't say that I regret my decision, but I didn't really fall in love with this book either. It was an average read for me.

This is the story of Jordan Wood, a girl who plays in the quarterback position for her high school 'Hundred Oaks High's football team and, in her own words, is 'one of the guys'. She’s on her way to having a stellar season with a team that not only respects her as the captain of the team, but cares for her as a friend. Jordan also has a great chance at making full scholarship with Alabama, and her football stats have never looked better. But all this changes with the entry of one Tyler Green, to whom Jordan is in danger of losing not only her position, but also her heart.

Now, one would say, all this sounds interesting and I definitely agree with that. But unfortunately, from here the story progresses to become a love-triangle, with a lot of stupidity mixed in. I mean, from the first few chapters itself, it will be evident to the reader that Jordan's best friend and wide-receiver Sam Henry is in love with her but she doesn't realise this until his ex-girlfriend tells her so. I swear, at this point I really felt like banging my head on the table! Then Ty turned out to be super-possessive and Henry stops talking to Jordan and she realises Alabama only wants her to be their poster girl and don't really want her to play for their team. In short, a complete downwards spiral.

But there were some good things in the book too: I particularly liked the relationship she shares with her team-mates  especially JJ and Carter. It was cute how protective they were of her, always looking out for her. And also her brother and how supportive he is of her. He even argues with their dad on her behalf! 

All in all, the book was a fast paced, difficult-to-put-down type. However I wasn't really satisfied with the ending. We never really get to know whether Jordan and Henry really get together or what college she decides to join. So, not a good closure.

So i'd say: if you are a chick lit fan, then you definitely should go for this book. But if you are waiting to be introduced to this genre, I don't think this is a good choice. 

So my rating would be: 2 & 1/2 Stars.

Alrighty then guys, until next time, Happy Reading!!!

Confession #1: Why do I read?

This is one of those questions that, as a self-proclaimed "book-a-holic", I am most frequently asked. Somehow, I never manage to provide a satisfactory answer to that, as some people are keen to point out. But here I am going to try my level best to explain my book-obsession; starting with how it all began.

I was in the fourth grade when my grandfather died. That was a very trying period for me as I had always been quite close to my grandfather. In those days, it used to be difficult for me to stay at home; knowing he would never come back from shopping and bring me chocolates. It was in those days that our school teachers announced the opening of the library in school and took us all to borrow a book. We had a fixed hour every week when we would exchange books and read. I still remember thinking, on seeing the first book I was given (a Nancy Drew mystery), how I would finish reading such a thick book and how possibly could any story be so big. But once I started reading it, I felt the whole world, all my sorrows, slipping away from me. I had left my world for one where I was a teen detective, trying to solve a murder mystery.

And so began my long-lasting affair with books. Books are like my personal escape button: they take me away from my life, my sorrows and into a world where magic exists, where humans and paranormals occupy the same earth, where aliens take refuge on earth to protect themselves and their planets, where anything - I repeat - ANYTHING is possible. Soon enough, my hobbies changed from painting and dancing to reading and writing. The hours spent in the library became my favourite parts of the week. And so a 'Book-a-holic' was born.

Today, reading has become a sort of addiction for me. Not a day goes by when I am without a book. So much so that, when I can't find anything new to read, I just keep re-reading the serieses (is that a word?) I n=have already read; which has led to me reading: Harry Potter series 14 times, Percy  Jackson 8 times, Hunger games 5 times, Twilight (though I don't really like it) 5 times, Mortal instruments 4 times, Divergent 3 times..... Well, you get the idea :D

So now, after nine years of being a book-a-holic, I have created this blog to share my very special World of Words with you guys. I'll be posting book reviews, character analysis, cover reviews, and also some short stories and poems by Yours Truly.

So I look forward to your comments, criticism, opinions etc. Until next time,
Adios! Happy Reading!