The Fiend and the Forge (Book Three, Tapestry Series)

Astaroth has obtained the Book of Thoth, defeated Rowan in battle and reshaped the world, destroying all technology and plunging the world into another Dark Age. The men and women of Rowan Academy desperately hold onto the ashes of civilization. However, as long as they don't oppose the now Demon-ruled kingdoms, and the rules Astaroth has set in place, they shall not be harmed or destroyed. Rowan, amidst the death and destruction, has become a beacon of hope for all humanity. Runaways and refugees stream in, filling Rowan to it's capacity. To some, the fragile peace with Astaroth is a beacon of hope. To others, like Max McDaniels, this peace is a prison in disguise. Not content to stand by and let everything he fought for turn to waste, he sets out to the Demon Kingdoms, modern day Europe, to discover what lays ahead for the human race. The journey is long and difficult, however, the rewards are great. Through his trek, Max discovers the truth behind the Demons, and the truth behind one that is more frightening than anything Max could have ever imagined.

The Fiend and the Forge by Neff is my favorite in the series thus far. I am in the middle of The Maelstrom, the 4th book, so my vote might change. Either way, The Fiend and the Forge is a wondrous creation with scenes that will make you laugh and scenes that will make you cry. Towards the end, Neff adds a story line that I never expected, and about which I am still grieving.

The Second Siege (Book Two, Tapestry Series)

It has been weeks since Max first enrolled at Rowan Academy. Now, finally, Max is beginning to accept his not-so-normal life as fairly normal. He has a wizard, David Menlo, as his roommate and an observatory for a room. To make matters even better, Max is being trained in battle skills by Rowan's top Agent, Cooper. Life at Rowan couldn't get any better. However, while Max has made great friends, he has also made powerful enemies. The Enemy has managed to free Astaroth, the greatest of all Demons. Now released, Astaroth will stop at nothing to bend the world to its will. To do this, however, it needs the Book of Thoth. The Book of Thoth is a strange artifact that has the power to create or unravel life as we know it. If the Demon obtains the book, it will be the end of civilization. Max and David, accompanied by Cooper, set out to protect this fabled tome. If Astaroth manages to obtain the Book, all will be lost. Will Max manage to keep it safe, or will Astaroth crush the world? Find out in The Second Siege!

The Second Siege, Neff's second book, is one of my favorites in the Tapestry Series, my favorite being the third, The Fiend and the Forge. Henry H. Neff continues to craft an ever more complex world, one that I and other Tapestry fans adore. I hope everyone who reads this blog will read the series. The final book, The Red Winter, will be released in 2013. I can't wait!

The Hound of Rowan (Book One, Tapestry Series)

Max McDaniels lives with his father in the suburbs of Chicago. He lives a normal life, aside from the fact that his mother disappeared when he was young. One day, while visiting the Chicago Museum of Art, Max stumbles into a restricted section of the museum. In the section is a lone faded tapestry hanging on the wall. However, when Max moves closer to inspect it, it blooms into full color and begins to spark and move. Scared yet transfixed, he flees the room, only to discover that, although it only felt like minutes, he had been missing for hours. After this strange incident, Max receives a letter from a mysterious  school, Rowan Academy, and is invited to attend. In his dreams that night, he is visited by a hag who attacks him when he tries to run from her. The next day, shaken, he is given a series of tests, by a 'Recruiter"from Rowan, that are required to attend the school. Max passes with flying colors. When he arrives at Rowan, Max is thrown into a world he could never have imagined. Filled with magic, warfare, allies, and an Enemy far greater than anything a mere mortal could comprehend, Rowan tests Max to his limit. Does he have the will to survive, or will the Enemy get to him first?

The Hound of Rowan by Henry H. Neff is a magical and complex book, filled to the brim with intricate characters and wonderful creatures. I loved it as soon as I began reading its first pages.

The Mark of Athena (Book Three, The Heroes of Olympus)

Having defeated the giant, Polybotes, freed Thanatos, recovered the lost Eagle Standard, and saved Camp Jupiter, Percy doesn't think things could get any better. That is, until Annabeth, Jason, Leo and Piper arrive on a flying airship. However, Percy's reunion is cut short as the airship strangely attacks Camp Jupiter. Percy, Annabeth, Jason, Piper, Leo, Hazel, and Frank manage to escape on the magical machine. However, while all of this carnage erupts around her, Annabeth is troubled by another, far more sinister, warning. A prophesy given by her mother, Athena. "Follow the Mark of Athena. Avenge me." However, the group have a greater problem. In five days, Gaea, the embodiment of the Earth,  will destroy Rome and kill Hazel's brother, Nico. Thrust into a journey to the Ancient Lands that spans the globe, the seven Demigods must fend off the frequent attacks by the Romans, while managing to circumvent Gaea's ever strengthening assaults. Will the seven manage to find Nico and stop Gaea before her evil plot becomes a reality? Find out in The Mark of Athena!!

The Mark of Athena is my favorite in the Heroes of Olympus series so far. All seven of the Heroes of Prophesy have come together to form a truly unstoppable powerhouse! I loved this book and hope that you all enjoy this blog!

P.S. There is one scene at the end that is truly jaw-dropping . . . in a truly intense way. Brace yourselves!

The Son of Neptune (Book Two, The Heroes of Olympus)

Percy Jackson is currently very confused. He has been chased by three very angry monsters with snakes for hair for days now, and he has a pen that can turn into a sword. The weirdest part, Percy can't remember ANYTHING. Anything except one name, Annabeth. Found and taken to a strange camp for the children of the Roman Gods, Camp Jupiter, Percy is revealed to be the son of Poseidon, the Greek version of the god of the seas, Neptune. Percy is sent to the 12th cohort, of the 12 cohorts of the camp, and meets Frank Zhang, the son of Mars, the God of War, and Hazel, the daughter of Pluto, the God of the Underworld and the three become fast friends. After a game of capture the flag, one of the campers is slain, but comes back to life. The campers realize that the Doors of Death, the doors to the Underworld, have been opened and Thanatos, the God of Death (who is totally awesome and definitely my favorite God), has been captured by unknown powers. Sent to free Thanatos and retrieve the 12th cohort's lost eagle standard, a magical object of great power, the trio embark on a mission, and are plunged into a battle that has lasted for eons, one that has begun anew, one that could destroy the gods. That is, unless Percy can stop it.

The Son of Neptune is a fantastic book. As soon as I saw the cover, I practically jumped for joy. Rick Riordan has brought back our favorite Demigod, Percy! The Son of Neptune is filled with action, suspense, demigod powers, and, thankfully, lots and lots of Percy.

The Lost Hero (Book One, The Heroes of Olympus)

In the first installment to the Heroes of Olympus series, or the Camp Half Blood saga, as I call it, we meet Jason Grace, a fifteen-year-old boy, who presumably lives a fairly normal life, except that he attends the Wilderness School, a school for troubled kids. We also meet Jason's best friend, Leo, and girlfriend, Piper. The only problem, he can't remember anything, or anyone. According to Jason, he just "woke up" holding hands with some girl he didn't know. However, during the school's field trip to the Grand Canyon, one of the students transforms into a strange storm monster and blows both Piper and Jason into the Canyon. Jason controls the wind and stops their plummet, saving both himself and Piper. Annabeth, the daughter of Athena and one of the main protagonists of the previous series, collects him, Piper and Leo, informing them that they are Demigods, the children of a god and a mortal. Jason, Piper, and Leo, are taken to Camp Half Blood by Annabeth, a camp where young Demigods learn to control their powers. Piper is claimed by Aphrodite, the goddess of love and beauty. Leo on the other hand, is a son of Hephaestus, god of the forge, and has a special, but secret, talent. Jason is the son of Jupiter, the Roman version of Zeus, king of the gods. However, when Annabeth, reveals that Percy has been missing for months, a new sense of urgency arises. And when the camp learns that Hera, queen of the gods, has been captured, Jason, Piper, and Leo embark on a desperate rescue mission that could decide the fate of the mortal world and the world of the Gods.

When I first found out about The Lost Hero, I was very, very, excited. I had been waiting and hoping for another series with Percy for a couple of years, since The Last Olympian. Rick Riordan continues the arc of the Percy Jackson Series, with some of the same original characters driving the plot. My patience payed off, this fast paced novel will keep the midnight oil burning, right down to the last page.