Mark of Athena [May 26, 2018]

[Niki Hawkes, I made it past GOTM... barely]

This is a Buddy Read for The Mark of Athena by Rick Riordan starting May 26, 2018.

[Hailee]

I'll probably be starting this next week. I'm still reading 5 books at the moment and want to finish a couple more off before I start something new.

[Niki Hawkes, I made it past GOTM... barely]

That makes sense. :) I only have a few days before my copy is due back so I'll probably dive in tomorrow.

[Niki Hawkes, I made it past GOTM... barely]

Started over the weekend. Ch 8. (view spoiler)[ I think the Echo character is really cool! It's creative how Riordan made everything have a different connotation with the same words.

So far my favorite part of this book is the general convergence of all the characters. I still think Hazel might be my favorite about of the bunch but I still really like Anabeth. :) (hide spoiler)]

[Hailee]

I've just started this before I go to bed. Only two chapters in (view spoiler)[and already Percy and Annabeth have been reunited. Wasn't expecting it to happen that quick but I'm really happy it did 😍 (hide spoiler)]

[Niki Hawkes, I made it past GOTM... barely]

Hailee wrote: "I've just started this before I go to bed. Only two chapters in [spoilers removed]"

Me too! (view spoiler)[ although I was hoping for a little> more fanfare. It's cool to see them all together. (hide spoiler)]

[Niki Hawkes, I made it past GOTM... barely]

at 50% (view spoiler)[I'm liking this more than the last one I think, which is cool. :) Maybe it's because there hasn't been as much backstory? I really wish these had been out when I was a kid - I would've totally devoured them. Even so, as an adult they're great. :) (hide spoiler)]

[Hailee]

Niki Hawkes wrote: "Hailee wrote: "I've just started this before I go to bed. Only two chapters in [spoilers removed]"

Me too! [spoilers removed]"

(view spoiler)[Yeah a little more drama would have been appreciated but I did enjoy Annabeth tackling Percy that was fun. (hide spoiler)]

[Hailee]

End of chapter 22

(view spoiler)[Urgh is it only me smelling a huge love triange in the making between Frank/Hazel/Leo?

I hate love triangles so much. They are my number one most hate trope in books, especially in YA (hide spoiler)]

[Niki Hawkes, I made it past GOTM... barely]

Hailee wrote: "End of chapter 22

Urgh is it only me smelling a huge love triange in the making between Frank/Hazel/Leo?

I hate love triangles so much. They are my number one most hate trope in books, especiall..."

(view spoiler)[I thought the same thing. Hopefully nothing comes of that because I'm with you! (hide spoiler)]

[Niki Hawkes, I made it past GOTM... barely]

Ch 38 (view spoiler)[ 80 I think the key for enjoying this series for me is multitasking. If I'm doing other things I enjoy it immensely, if I sit and focus, it becomes tedious (too much repetition), so perhaps the next book will keep me company while I clean and do yoga lol. I used it this weekend while I worked on my library and it worked great.

Also random: major bonus points for the Mythbusters reference. Archimedes mirror weapon. ^_^ (hide spoiler)]

[Hailee]

Niki Hawkes wrote: "Ch 38..."

(view spoiler)[I like read these books after I've read something a bit challenging. At the moment I'm reading it after I've read a bit of Gardens of the Moon and I feel like my brain is about to explode with all the information, I let my brain unwind a bit by reading a bit of Heroes of Olympus.

I've never watched Mythbusters so I missed that reference but I've just googled it and it looks really interesting. I'll have to see if I can get it on any catch up services that stream in the UK (hide spoiler)]

[Niki Hawkes, I made it past GOTM... barely]

Hailee wrote: "Niki Hawkes wrote: "Ch 38..."

i>

Agreed - it's definitely a great change from GotM (which I'm also currently reading).

The episode I referenced was a fun one - I love that show.

I've finished too, and overall impressions are that it's a good continuation of the story and I liked the convergence of characters. I can't help but wish the books were a tad shorter though for a more direct plotline. Very enjoyable though. I can see sharing this series with my boy when he's old enough and having him love it.

[Angela Jr.]

I'm up to chapter 9 so far!

(view spoiler)[i was really happy about percy and annabeth's reunion too!
I'm not too sure where the thing with hazel and leo is going - is leo actually sammy and the gods brought him forward in time somehow? That seems a bit unlikely. Or does he just bear a huge resemblance to the guy or is in some way related to him?
I don't think I'd like to see hazel and leo together...

I'm not all that hooked on the story, probably because we're revisiting two of my least favourite perspectives. (hide spoiler)]

[Angela Jr.]

Finally finished this one! I don't have a lot to say... I was bored most of the time and more or less had to force myself to keep picking it up. I do want to finish the series, but I'll probably take even more time with it, so i don't burn myself out...

[Niki Hawkes, I made it past GOTM... barely]

^^this.

[Niki Hawkes, I made it past GOTM... barely]

That's where I'm at with it. I just started the final book and while I can't really stand and criticize anything about it overall, I've found them a struggle to get through.

Interspersing a few chapters a day between other more robust reads seems to be helping. :)

[Angela Jr.]

I really enjoyed the percy jackson series, but this one just seems overly long and too detailed. I think each book could be half its size and they would be much more enjoyable.
I ended up putting it down for a few weeks and only reading a few pages here and there.

[Angela Jr.]

The fact that i dislike half the characters isn't really helping either haha.
I did peek ahead though and saw that we'll be getting some new perspectives later on, so that has me intrigued :)

[Hailee]

I feel bad that I seem to be enjoying these a lot more than everyone else. They definitely aren't the best books I've ever read but mixed in with the adult fantasy and classics I have been reading lately and they are a refreshing change (drop!!) in pace.

I don't feel like they are overlong but maybe that is because I get through them so quickly because they are middle grade and these are practically the only middle grade I have read in years and so the ease of reading is very noticeable??

[Angela Jr.]

Don't feel bad for enjoying them! :)

[Niki Hawkes, I made it past GOTM... barely]

I'd cut out at least half of the tangent mythological encounters. It seems like a lot of them are only there just because he wanted to pack in as many as possible and not because they add anything to the overall arc of the story.

Hailee I'm thrilled you're liking them - you've kept me motivated to keep reading this entire time. :) I hope my raincloud opinion hasn't lessened the experience for you.