Title: The Last Olympian (Percy Jackson and the Olympians Book #5)

Author: Rick Riordan

Publisher: Scholastic 2009

Genre: Young Adult

Pages: 381

Rating: 5/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Young Adult; 2011 - Mind the Gap

All year the half-bloods have been preparing for battle against the Titans, knowing the odds of victory are grim. Kronos's army is stronger than ever, and with every god and half-blood he recruits, the evil Titan's power only grows. While the Olympians struggle to contain the rampaging monster Typhon, Kronos begins his advance on New York City, where Mount Olympus stands virtually unguarded. Now it's up to Percy Jackson and an army of young demigods to stop the Lord of Time. In this momentous final book in the New York Times best-selling Percy Jackson and the Olympians series, the long-awaited prophecy surrounding Percy's sixteenth birthday unfolds. And as the battle for Western civilization rages on the streets of Manhattan, Percy faces a terrifying suspicion that he may be fighting against his own fate.

The boys and I started reading the Percy Jackson series a few months ago.  They were finally at an age where they were interesting in reading a "big book" but couldn't necessarily read it on their own.  So this series became our bedtime book.  We would snuggle under the covers and dive into a world where the Greek gods still exist and their children are the new heroes.

I must say that I came into their series with a bit of trepidation.  Would I, a grown adult, like a children's series?  I was pleasantly surprised.  I loved the series.  I love the characters.  They are relatable, but also age appropriate.  None of this "I'm 12, but I act 30" crap.  I loved the retelling of the Greek myths.  Often Riordan mentions part of a myth or we meet a character from the myths.  Every time that happened, my boys (especially N) would then want to hear the rest of the myth and story.  I love that this series inspired my boys to go and seek out more information.  Riordan gives us just enough to spark an interest.  I love it!  My only pet peeve: I couldn't read it faster.

The boys are bugging me to buy the first book of his next series, The Lost Hero, but it's still only in hardback.  I refuse to pay new hardback prices.  I'm waiting until I find it at Half Price Books or a really good bookstore coupon to use.  In the meantime, we've decided to read Ruyard Kipling's Just So Stories.  I'm excited to read it!

Percy Jackson and the Olympians

1. The Lightning Thief
2. The Sea of Monsters
3. The Titan's Curse
4. The Battle of the Labyrinth
5. The Last Olympian