Percy Jackson and the Olympians

            This book series is about a boy who's a demigod, or half mortal and half god. There are five books that detail five years at Camp Half Blood,a camp for young demigods. Throughout the series, he meets with different characters from Greek mythology who either help him, hinder him, or provide some comic relief. I like this series because it contains Greek mythology, which I had the pleasure of reading a huge book ( about +300 pages) on in third grade. I instantly fell in love with the characters and the overall plot of the stories, therefore loved it when they put a twist on it by putting a twelve year old in the equation.  These books were written by Rick Riordan, who some kids might recognize from the first book in "The 39 Clues", a series which Riordan helps to write. The first book, "The Lightning Thief" was also made into a movie of the same name.

        Because this series was made for kids, I'll be a bit gentler with the rating. I'd rate this for kids about 10 years old, in case some parents wouldn't want their children acquainted with blood and some crude humor. (This book is great for parents, too) The books can be as long as more than four hundred pages, so take that into account as well.

Phantom of the Opera

     This is one of my favorite books. It's about a beautiful soprano named Christine who meets a mysterious man who lives beneath Opera House. He's a genius, but very (very) insane. He has a deformed face which he hides beneath a mask, and a punjab lasso that he uses to strangle anybody who interferes with his plans. He loves Christine, but her heart belongs to the Viscount Raoul De Chagny, who has a perfectly normal mind. 

          This amazing book has spawned many adaptations, including a 1935 (I think?) adaptation starring Lon Chaney, Jr. There's also been a famed musical version by Andrew Lloyd Webber that's captivated audiences across the world, a grisly horror version, a version of it set in the modern day that also has elements of Faust and Hunchback of Notre Dame, and many contemporary novels (Look up "Phantom of the Opera: Contemporary Stories") This novel is rather unique because even though the symphathy is with The Phantom, the story's protagonist is his rival, the lovesick Raoul, who's the story's Prince Charming. There are also many other characters to see in it, from the villainous Mme. Giry to the bewildered new managers of the Opera House.

         This book is a must read for mystery and romance lovers. I'd recommend it for ages 10+ for the writing style and certain elements that some kids might not like. I'd recommend parents read it first before giving it to their kids.

Starting off

Okay, because my last blog wasn't exactly uplifting, I decided to write a blog that's a bit cheerier. This will mostly be the books I've been reading with my comments on them. Each post will be a book I've read, or tried to read.