Book Review: Percy Jackson & The Olympians, The Lightning Thief

I just finished reading "The Lightning Thief" by Rick Riordan. This is the first book in the Percy Jackson series. I always heard of this book, and knew how popular it was. I bought it at my library used bookstore and thought I'd give it a try. Before I read the book, I watched the movie first. I liked the movie, it was entertaining. Let me say, the book is different than the movie and I knew that. I liked the book, but it's not a favorite of mine.

Here's the plot:

Percy Jackson is about to be kicked out of boarding school again. Lately, mythological monsters and the gods of Mount Olympus seem to be walking straight out of the pages of Percy's Greek mythology textbook and into his life. Zeus's master lightning bolt has been stolen, and Percy is the prime suspect. Percy goes on an adventure with his two friends, to find and return the lightning bolt and hoping to save his mother in return.

I did like this book. The beginning was really good and got better halfway. About 70% through the book, I got bored. I don't know why. I think I got sick of reading it and the book was long to me. I understand it is a middle grade book but I still liked it. I thought Percy was a great character, and he is strong for a twelve-year old. I liked his friends Grover and Annabeth. Grover is half goat and his job is to protect Percy. He was a good friend. Annabeth is the daughter of Athena and she doesn't like Percy at first. Percy's dad is Poseidon and him and Athena hated each other. That's why Annabeth didn't get along with Percy. They become friends throughout the journey. The pacing was good, although I got bored at the end. I liked all the characters and hated the mean girl bullies. I also felt bad for Percy because his dad left before he was born and his mom married a bad guy who abuses her.(Smelly Gabe). I like fantasy books and this book was different from other books I read. This book also taught me about Greek Mythology and I haven't learned that since sixth grade.

Overall, I liked this book but it was boring at times. I'm not sure if I will read the rest of the books. I liked the movie too. Do I recommend this book? Yes! I think everyone should read this book, but not if you hate Greek Mythology because this book is all about it. Is it worth a buy? Maybe. I'm glad I got it for a dollar at a used bookstore. I wouldn't pay full price for it. I think it's worth a borrow from the library or a friend, but not a buy unless you want the other books in the series. That's my review and I will be updating soon so keep reading!

Book Review: The Summer Boys Series!

Hi! Right now I am reading the Summer Boys Series by Hailey Abbott. I just finished reading the first book, "Summer Boys" and I liked it. I thought I would put the reviews together instead of making separate reviews for each book. Here's my reviews:

1) Summer Boys

Spoilers!!!
I thought this book was good. It is a very cute summer book that's light and easy to read. This is my third time reading this book. This book has a very simple plot:
Summer Boys is about four girls who are cousins and every year they stay at a cottage together in Pebble Beach, Maine. The girls are all different but are close.

First there's Ella- The blonde and confident girl who can get the attention of any guy. She is flirty, self-absorbed and can be selfish. This summer she wants a guy, but she wants her sister's boyfriend.

There's Kelsi- She is Ella's older sister and is different than Ella. Guys prefer Ella over her but Kelsi is still beautiful. She is more shy and laid back and hasn't had much experience with boys. She is dating a guy named Peter and he makes her happy. How will she feel when he breaks her heart?

There's Jamie- She is a normal girl with black hair and green eyes. She is beautiful but she doesn't know it. She likes being alone and writing. Jamie loves to write stories and poems. She is still hung over a guy she met last summer. Last summer she met Ethan and thought he was perfect for her. He liked Jamie for herself and he is also a writer. Jamie thought they were meant to be... until she comes back to Pebble Beach. The whole year her and Ethan kept in touch and she thought they had something special. Ethan thought it was just a summer fling and doesn't want her anymore. He wants her to just be friends with him. Jamie is so upset about losing him.

Last there's Beth- She is your typical athlete and tomboy who doesn't care much about her looks. She is a blonde but she's the kind of girl who puts her hair into a ponytail all the time. She is best friends with George, a guy she met a year ago at a party. They become really good friends, and he stays with her family at the cottage. Beth doesn't think about how cute he is , until he meets a girl on the beach. George hooks up with the girl Cara and spends all his time with her over the summer, which causes Beth to be jealous. She is starting to like George more than a friend. Does George feel the same way?

This book was good and kept me interested. I didn't like Ella. She was so confident and full of herself. She was very selfish for stealing her sister's boyfriend. I really liked Kelsi and felt bad for her. She really liked Peter but he didn't like her for her. He  just wanted sex, but she refused. I love Kelsi and she didn't let his pressure get to her. She makes good decisions and she deserves a great guy. I also loved Jamie. I could relate to her a lot. We both love to write. Ethan was such a jerk to her, and she was depressed throughout the whole book. She ends up meeting a guy and forgets about Ethan. I'm proud of her. I loved Beth and George. George was such a cool guy. I loved his personality and his goofy self. It was obvious that he liked Beth. They are cute together.

Overall, I really liked this book. If you want a light summer read, pick up this book. I give this book five stars!

2) Next Summer

Spoilers!
Hailey Abbott does it again with her sequel "Next Summer". I enjoyed this book more than the first. I couldn't put it down and read it in a day.

The cousins are back for the next summer. Ella, Kelsi and Beth are ready for the summer. Jamie is at a college for a writing workshop.
Ella is done being a player and wants to have a real relationship. She meets a lifeguard named Jeremy who's shy and doesn't like her at first. Ella wants Jeremy to be her boyfriend and they end up together.
Kelsi is mad at Ella because she finds out that Ella hooked up with her ex-boyfriend Peter. She meets this guy named Tim and ends up liking him. Tim joins the sister's on a road trip to visit Jamie.
Beth and George are finally together. George decides to stay home and not go to Pebble Beach. Beth is miserable without him until she meets a lifeguard who saved her. His name is Adam and he's really attracted to Beth, and she develops feelings for him. She can't stop thinking about George. Will she choose Adam or George?

This was a really good sequel. It was another light and summer read. Five stars!!

3) After Summer

Some Spoilers!
After Summer is the third book in the series. It was really good, but wasn't as good at the first two. In this book, it takes place right after Next Summer and the girls are in school. I didn't like it as much. I liked reading the characters at Pebble Beach. This book was interesting and had drama. I hated, the ending so much!! This book is a lot shorter than the others, and when I read the last page, I was thinking, "This is it?" I can't believe the author just ended it like that. There is a fourth book though. None of the problems were resolved.

Jamie isn't in the book much, which makes me mad. I really like Jamie.
Ella is at her Catholic school and has a long-distance relationship with Jeremy. They decide to break up and Ella meets a player named Ryan. Will she choose Ryan or Jeremy?
Kelsi is going out with Tim, but she wants to end it. She meets a new guy. Will she dump Tim?
Beth thought she was happy going out with George. But he changed, and doesn't just want to be with her for friendship. He wants a lot more from her. Will they stay together?

This book was good, but it was my least favorite. I hope the last book will be better, and I hope the girls choose the right boys. Four stars!

4) Last Summer

Spoilers!
This book was a great ending to the series. I admit I was a little disappointed with the ending, but it's okay. I was interested throughout the whole book and the writing was good.

This is the last summer for the Tuttle cousins.
Kelsi is happy with her relationship with Bennett, but he's leaving for New York for his art passion.  Will they be able to survive a long-distance relationship?
Beth and George are broken up. Beth thinks she's better off without him, but she still wants to be friends with George. Will they still see each other?
Ella is perfectly happy with her boyfriend Jeremy. Is she jealous of her sister's friend and best friend?
Jamie is happy because she finally gets to go to the college of her dreams. Is she hiding something from her family?

The cousins are in for another summer, which may be the very last summer together.
I really did like this book.  The characters really grew and I liked all of them. The ending was sad when Beth's cottage burned down. I wish her and George got back together. I thought they were a great couple. I wish the author made another series, where I can see the characters in college. But I am satisfied enough. Hailey Abbott did a great job with this series, and I will be reading her other books in the future. I give this book 4 stars! I give the whole series a 4.5 out of 5! I really recommend this series if you are looking for a nice, easy summer read. That's it for now, and I will update more soon.

Book Review: Wake

Book Review: Wake by Amanda Hocking
Spoilers!!

Recently I just finished reading "Wake" and I loved it! It was the best book I've read in a long time. The books I've read the past months disappointed me. I wasn't sure that I would like this book. This is my first book from Amanda Hocking. I bought this book at Target because I loved the cover. This book was so good!

The Plot:
This book is about a sixteen year old girl named Gemma. She is a pretty girl with brown hair and lives with her Dad and older sister Harper. Her mom was in a accident and has to live in a group home. Her sister Harper is very protective and tries to act like a mom. There is a boy next door named Alex. He's been friends with Harper for years and now he sees Gemma more than Harper's younger sister. They start to like each other. Gemma has an encounter with three girls. No one knows who these girls are but the girls are always together. Gemma loves water, she's on the swim team. The girls see her swimming in the bay every night. They tell Gemma she is one of them-the Sirens. Gemma hangs with them in the bay at night and wakes up as a different person. Well she is the same person but now she has powers. She is like a mermaid, a Siren. The girls give her a choice, either she becomes one of them or she has to die. Gemma has a big decision to make because she doesn't want to lose her life on land, but she doesn't want to be with those girls. Gemma also doesn't want to be with them because they are murderers. They kill people, even people Gemma knew and loved.

I talked too much about Gemma. This book is written in third person, so it also talks about Harper. Harper is getting ready to start college in the fall. She spends most of her time protecting her family and doing schoolwork, she doesn't have time for relationships. One day when Gemma is in danger, Harper meets a guy named Daniel. He lives on a boat and is very friendly. He talked to Gemma and Harper throughout the book. I think there is something going on between Harper and Daniel. He is a great guy who is always willing to help the two sisters.

I really, really loved this book! The writing was so good and the pacing was very fast which I liked. I loved all the characters and I felt bad for Gemma. I loved how this book was so focused on family. Family is very important to me. I love the relationship between Gemma and Harper and I can relate to it. I have two sisters so I understand Harper and Gemma looked out for each other. There were no boring scenes, the book drew me in since page one. The book isn't very long, about three hundred pages. This is the best book I've read this year and I will be reading the other three books. That was the best purchase from Target ever! I am dying to know what happens next! This was the first mermaid book I've read and it won't be my last! I give this book 5 stars!! That's my review and stay tuned for more!:)