Percy Jackson is missing, and Annabeth is desperate to find him. She is told that Jason might have the answers, but Jason has lost his memory. Jason only remembers waking up on a bus full of kids next to Piper and Leo, who claim to be his best friends. When they get back to Camp Half-Blood, Leo is claimed as a son of Hephaestus and suddenly all the mechanical things he can do make more sense. But Leo is hiding a secret, he has power over fire which is very rare even for a half-blood. Piper is also hiding something, but everyone is distracted because she has "charm speak" and she can enchant people with her voice. As Jason tries to fit in at Camp Half-Blood, he is plagued by his lost memories and a general feeling that something is wrong. When they are sent on a quest to rescue a kidnapped goddess, Jason, Piper, and Leo have to face their deepest fears and their messy past.

I just adore everything about this series! It's wonderful to have old favorite characters coming back, but also get to know some new characters as well. Jason and Leo are two of my favorites, because they both have really amazing character development as they have to deal with some personal tragedies. I love Piper and Annabeth and how similar they are; smart, classy, kind to everyone. They both have that leadership vibe that makes everyone look to them in a crisis. 

Rick Riordan is one of the few authors that I trust to write multiple POVs and do it properly. Every character has their own voice. Jason is very serious and responsible. Piper is determined to prove herself, but she's full of doubt and insecurity. Leo is hurting inside, but he laughs it off with a goofy grin and a joke. They are all so unique, so it's easy to tell who is narrating, because you can immediately recognize their personality and their voice in the narration. And each character's POV is divided into their own separate chapters, so it's well-organized. 

One of the best things about this series is that we get to see these characters growing up, and the storylines get more serious too. We still have all that sass and fun from the first series, but the stakes are higher and the characters are more responsible. 

To see the details of violence when they battle monsters and other sensitive content, check out the book on the Screen It First website! https://screenitfirst.com/book/the-lost-hero-heroes-of-olympus-1-2264

King Tirian hears rumors that Aslan has returned to Narnia, but he is not sure whether to believe it. When he investigates, he discovers that a false Aslan has been masquerading and fooling the Narnian people. He calls on the children of the ancient past to help him and to save Narnia from imposters and traitors. Eustace and Jill arrive just in time to rescue Tirian, but feel hopeless in the fight against the lies that have been built up around the false Aslan. How can you get people to believe the truth when they have swallowed so many lies?

I cry every time I read this. It is so piercingly beautiful. This book is full of both powerful grief and immeasurable joy. The imagery is so vivid and every scene is like a startling revelation. Even the quiet scenes where the characters regroup have some small detail that shows something important that is happening under the surface.

I love the inward journey that the characters must take. Outwardly there is not much that they can do, but they have to learn to be resilient and courageous in the face of overwhelming odds. They must do their duty even if it means their deaths. They despair and grieve and lose hope, and then they remember their duty and find their courage again. They place their trust in Aslan and find a way to continue on.

Because this book tells about the last days of Narnia and the ending of the world, there are a lot of parallels to prophecy in the Bible and the hope of heaven that every Christian carries. The theme of faith is strong in this story as the characters have to make a choice about what is true. There are a few spiritual parallels that don't actually match Biblical theology though. But it's nice to just imagine a fun fantasy world, and not expect everything to perfectly align with real Christian truth.

There are just so many wonderful Christian themes and parallels in this book! It is amazing to me how deep and how specific the imagery is that represents particular verses from the Bible. Every time I read this book it is like a breath of fresh air and a joyful light.

The story itself is wonderful, with an exciting plot and magical setting. The characters are deep and complex, with lots of character growth. The writing paints a picture with only a few words, and calls up strong emotional responses in the reader. There is just something so enchanting about this story that has appealed to generations of readers!

Eustace has returned to the world of Narnia with his classmate, Jill Pole. The two friends are charged with a quest to find the missing Prince Rilian, who disappeared ten years ago. Joining them in their journey to the North is a Marshwiggle named Puddleglum, who guides them through the lands of giants.

This book just gets better and better every time I re-read it! Rereading it this time around, I was struck with how many times forgetting and remembering are mentioned. The whole theme of the book is about remembering Aslan's instructions regarding the quest. Unfortunately they often forget the instructions and the signs that they are supposed to look for along the way. This theme has another spiritual layer as well, since we as Christians have been given spiritual instructions about how to live a holy life, but we often forget and make mistakes.

The characters in this book have a very different dynamic than in previous books of the series. The first books follow the Pevensie siblings who are all very close and affectionate with each other. But Eustace and Jill are barely even friends in the beginning, and they are grumpy and peppery with each other through most of the book. It's kind of funny to see their different personalities and how they interact, but they both have excellent character development!


There are just so many wonderful Christian themes and parallels in this book! It is amazing to me how deep and how specific the imagery is that represents particular verses from the Bible. Every time I read this book it is like a breath of fresh air and a joyful light.

The story itself is wonderful, with an exciting plot and magical setting. The characters are deep and complex, with lots of character growth. The writing paints a picture with only a few words, and calls up strong emotional responses in the reader. There is just something so enchanting about this story that has appealed to generations of readers!

Lucy and Edmund are back in Narnia, this time accompanied by their annoying cousin, Eustace. The siblings join King Caspian again, this time on a quest to the Eastern edge of the world. They sail through rough seas, encounter sea monsters, chart magical islands, and fight battles. But the greatest adventure of all is what they find at the edge of the world.

This one is my favorite of all the Narnia books! It appeals to something deep inside me on many levels. The magical adventures, the spiritual themes, poor sad Eustace and his character development, the beautiful imagery, and the imaginative settings all resonate with me in special ways. There are so many sweet little moments that tug at your heart!

I especially was interested to see the imagery of light and shadows, and how the darkness means that something evil or dangerous is coming.

Of course the most striking part of the story is the spiritual transformation of Eustace. He has an adventure of his own on one of the islands and meets Aslan, who literally reshapes who Eustace is from the inside out. Eustace begins as a thoroughly prideful person, but his encounter with Aslan starts him on a journey of healing and redemption. It doesn't happen overnight, but Eustace learns to be a better person. His heart is open to faith and love, whereas before he didn't even know what those things meant. I love Eustace's storyline!

There are just so many wonderful Christian themes and parallels in this book! It is amazing to me how deep and how specific the imagery is that represents particular verses from the Bible. Every time I read this book it is like a breath of fresh air and a joyful light.

The story itself is wonderful, with an exciting plot and magical setting. The characters are deep and complex, with lots of character growth. The writing paints a picture with only a few words, and calls up strong emotional responses in the reader. There is just something so enchanting about this story that has appealed to generations of readers!