The Demigod Diaries

A new collection of short stories set in Percy Jackson’s world, plus character profiles, new artwork, and more! 

A debut short story from Rick’s son Haley Riordan, who inspired the Percy Jackson series. Haley ponders the question: "What happened to the demigods who fought with Kronos's army after the battle in Manhattan?" This is the story of one such demigod.

Author: Rick Riordan (Website, Twitter)
Publisher: Hyperion Book
Buy online: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | IndieBound
Book borrowed from the national library
(Actual) Rating: 5 of 5 stars

Mr Riordan never left us disappointed with this book! Every short story in it, gave good themes and an absolute joy for me because it's just so awesome!!

It's a world created that so original and full of adventures that you know you will want more!! So exciting! Makes me have that adrenaline rush and heart racing whenever monsters come and attack our favorite demigods.

There are actually 4 short stories in total and my gosh, you'll love the illustrations provided - whether it's in black or white or with color. Doesn't matter. You'll love this, demigods! There's also a bonus - which comes with an interview with George and Martha Hermes' snakes!

Let start sharing my thoughts on the next next paragraph! Ready?

My thoughts on each short story. Starting with:

The Diary of Luke Castellan— this one I felt touched. It's a heartfelt story that involves main characters, Luke and Thalia. They are following Amaltheia, a goat that has been leading them to their destination. It leads them to a mansion and there, readers are introduced to Halycon Green, son of Apollo. As Luke and Thalia finds out what leads them there in order to get what they had come for exactly.

The Caster Chronicles #1: Beautiful Creatures

Ethan Wate is haunted by dreams of a girl he’s never met. When Lena Duchannes moves into his small southern town of Gatlin County, Ethan is inexplicably drawn to her. And he is determined to uncover the strange connection between them, even if it means uncovering the one secret that could change everything.

Author(s): Kami Garcia (Website, Twitter) & Margaret Stohl (Website, Twitter)
Publisher: Little, Brown and Company
Buy online: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | IndieBound
Book borrowed from the national library
(Actual) Rating: 3 of 5 stars

Ethan has lived in Gatlin all his life when Lena Duchannes, a new girl moved in town - in a small town like Gatlin, a place only visited by people on occasional holidays much less stay to live in. That's something of big deal for people in Gatlin. Gatlin County is nothing like a city, full of colors and sophisticated people but creepy, gloomy, crept by discomfort-sorts and fear. Ethan has been haunted by dreams of a girl he never even met and when he saw Lena, he is drawn to her in an instance though he has no clue why. He is about to find out. 'Beautiful Creatures' is set in the South where Victorian old streets still exist and built over a hundred years in a small town of Gatlin County. The book is mainly in Ethan Wate's perspective which makes him the protagonist in first-person narration. There's also some parts that is in third-person narration.

'Beautiful Creatures' is also spell-binding, magical, and spine-tingling as Ethan let us in his train of thoughts about his discovered knowledge of his small town he was not expecting what it really is to be like.

Shades of Earth

Godspeed was once fueled by lies. Ruled by chaos. Now it’s time to come home. But life on Centauri-Earth is far from perfect. Threats from the planet and from within the colony are tearing them apart, although Elder and Amy do all they can to keep it together. Because if the colony collapses? Then everything they have sacrificed–friends, family, life on Earth–will have been meaningless.

Author: Beth Revis (Website, Twitter)
Publisher: Razorbill
Buy online: Amazon | Barnes & Nobles | IndieBound
Book borrowed from the national library
(Actual) Rating: 5 of 5 stars

The time has finally come for the shipborns and Earthborns to emerge and help one another for survival on the perilous unfamiliar planet that will keep you on the edge of your seat. Each page will transport us to where dangers are, truth unfolds that we never would have expected. Amy and Elder continues the search for clues of missing pieces - the truth that holds everything that has to do with their new home - Centauri-Earth. Fight for what is worth and standing up for what is right. Amy and Elder has only one objective- a home for everyone. One thing is for certain - Amy and Elder will not let anything pass as they further dig for the truth.

Its setting is beyond of what I can all imagine. A new world that I can no longer keep up. Unbelievably incredible! As I read the book, I was so focused and can no longer feel the surroundings or wherever I was at that moment. Too engrossed with each details - reading every sentence and enjoying so much of the alternate points of view from the main characters - Amy and Elder. I was fascinated with the author coming up with such a plot that really is a mind-blowing science fiction. The setting of the plot is full of mysteries and what the characters are up against left me in the best of thrills. That includes riddles, clues. And the author has no idea that I love the volume book where the last clue is hidden. I am as curious as Amy and Elder of what lurks finding out what truly is going on.

Most of the characters are realistic. I could relate to Elder, most of the time. In my opinion, from the previous books in the trilogy which in 'Across The Universe' and 'A Million Suns', Elder pretty much appeared living his life in fear when in Godspeed whereas on this context - it shows he is a capable future leader despite the mentality he has that he thinks of difficult tasks he can't handle when actually he could. He just needed encouragement and support. I love Elder too because he is not a self-centered person who will just think of himself or what he wants.

The Kill Order

Before WICKED was formed, before the Glade was built, before Thomas entered the Maze, sun flares hit the earth and mankind fell to disease. 
The Kill Order is the story of that fall.
A prequel to the Maze Runner trilogy, The Kill Order has been in the works since the completion of The Maze Runner. The story of civilization’s fall was kept under wraps and is the explication of the events that began this bestselling series.

Author: James Dashner (Website, Twitter)

Publisher: Delacorte Press

Buy online: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | IndieBound

Book borrowed from the national library

(Actual) Rating: 3.5 of 5 stars

Mark and Trina are survivors of the sun flares unfortunately it does not end there. Enveloping back to safety seems like a dream far away and out of their reach as another perilous challenge ahead awaits them. The contagious disease called The Flare are instantly caught passing from one person to another if made physical contacts followed by symptoms slowing breaking them down, hallucinating, creeping inside their heads and eventually die. Clueless and full of burning questions and curiosity, Mark and his friends attempt to find the answers that will put an end to all tragedies and catastrophe.

Before reading this prequel, I firstly recommend you read the entire 'The Maze Runner' trilogy and you'll know what I mean. It's actually clearer if you read the 3 books first so that you have a better understanding of what this is all about. Trust me, you'll love 'The Maze Runner'!

It's not that of a fast-paced book but descriptive enough especially with Mark's actions - it's all well-written and organize.

Black City

A dark and tender post-apocalyptic love story set in the aftermath of a bloody war

In a city where humans and Darklings are now separated by a high wall and tensions between the two races still simmer after a terrible war, sixteen-year-olds Ash Fisher, a half-blood Darkling, and Natalie Buchanan, a human and the daughter of the Emissary, meet and do the unthinkable — they fall in love.

Bonded by a mysterious connection, that causes Ash's long dormant heart to beat, Ash and Natalie first deny and then struggle to fight their forbidden feelings for each other, knowing if they're caught they'll be executed —but their feelings are too strong.

When Ash and Natalie then find themselves at the center of a deadly conspiracy that threatens to pull the humans and Darklings back into war, they must make hard choices that could result in both their deaths.

Author: Elizabeth Richards
Publisher: G.P. Putnam's Sons
Rating: 3.5 of 5 stars

I was hooked to it for days. I couldn't put it down though that doesn't explain why I'm giving it only 3.5 stars.

I like the plot. It's dark, all mysterious background setting and dystopian world that made it good combination. The vampire fiction in it, wasn't really intriguing. It felt 'Twilight' sorts and of like vampire popular books/shows out there. It even reminds me of 'Warm Bodies' which quite coming off as cliche. No one can prevent me from reading the second installment though that's all I have for the negative side of my review.

Now here comes the positive. Nevertheless, the author did her book the plot fascinating, riveting. The romance really caught me breathless- I could feel ever bit of a good book! I like it!

"The heart wants what the heart wants." -Beetle

I surprisingly, personally like Beetle besides the lead character Ash and Natalie. I love "Nash", but try to look at Beetle's characteristics.

Over You

When seventeen-year-old Max Scott got her heart broken she didn’t just sit at home sobbing into her ice cream and obsessing over her ex, Hugo’s, latest Facebook postings. Well, actually she did. But she also decided that no girl should have to be tortured like that, so she read through all the psych books, Oprah transcripts, and historical precedents she could get her hands on and came up with a foolproof program to get over being dumped.

These days, Max is the go-to guru for heartbroken high-school girls all over NYC. But when Hugo shows up in her neighborhood, suddenly Max is so busy trying to avoid her own ex that she isn’t able to help anyone else with theirs. As Hugo invades her life all over again, Max’s carefully controlled world starts to unravel. With her clients’ hearts hanging in the balance, Max will have to do the seemingly impossible: get over her ex once and for all.

Authors: Emma McLaughlin and Nicola Kraus
Publisher: HarperTeen

Rating: 1 of 5 stars

I barely read the book much less read not even halfway of it and I found myself made sour faces. The writing was not a descriptive one. Lack of emotions, in my opinion. I definitely like the cover though. It's really appealing enough to draw my attention and get to read it as soon as possible. I want to say thank you to the authors for putting their time and effort writing this book.

Anyway, I want to point out things I don't like about the book, truthfully. Honest review.

Then there comes a conversation between two characters discussing about relationship of the clients they are helping in their so-called Ex Inc. I don't know. I see the conversation as gossiping or maybe not. Just updating friends? Whatever. It seems like gossip to me. It's in Chapter 2. And automatically, I just scanned through or opened it to a random page and starts reading it. I don't feel anything book love connection. All I caught sight of were written words. It doesn't really come out "alive" motion picture. Or I'm just not seeing things clear enough(?) Hmm. Probably, it's just too contemporary YA lit which isn't really my taste. However, that isn't a good evidence to support my disliking it because I've read other contemporary YA Lit that I really like. Love it even and wept.

I just really didn't think it was a nice read. I absolutely wanted to love the book and really I do. I have no choice but to say my true opinions.