47: Wake

Book #47: Wake
Author: Amanda Hocking
Published: August 7, 2012
309 Pages
3 Gold Stars

(summary from Goodreads)

Gorgeous. Fearless. Dangerous. They're the kind of girls you envy; the kind of girls you want to hate. Strangers in town for the summer, Penn, Lexi and Thea have caught everyone's attention—but it’s Gemma who’s attracted theirs. She’s the one they’ve chosen to be part of their group.

Gemma seems to have it all—she’s carefree, pretty, and falling in love with Alex, the boy next door. He’s always been just a friend, but this summer they’ve taken their relationship to the next level, and now there’s no going back. Then one night, Gemma’s ordinary life changes forever. She’s taking a late night swim under the stars when she finds Penn, Lexi and Thea partying on the cove. They invite her to join them, and the next morning she wakes up on the beach feeling groggy and sick, knowing something is different.

Suddenly Gemma is stronger, faster, and more beautiful than ever. But her new powers come with a terrifying price. And as she uncovers the truth, she’s is forced to choose between staying with those she loves—or entering a new world brimming with dark hungers and unimaginable secrets.

The premise is what drew me to this book. I love mermaids and I haven't really found too many mermaid books that I've wanted to read. So when I read the prologue and realized that these mermaids (or Sirens as they're called in the book) are far more than what they seem. Three mysterious girls come to the island paradise and set their sights on Gemma, a local girl who loves to swim and is finding that she has feelings for her older sister's best friend. Everyone on the island thinks there's something up with these girls. They are too pretty, and boys will do anything they tell them to. But when Gemma takes a midnight swim one night and is called over to the girls, she can't control her actions. And when her sister, Harper, finds her unconscious on the beach like a beached whale the next morning, she knows something is wrong. After that night, Gemma begins to act differently. She discovers that she can do things unimaginable to human beings. 

The problems I had with this book weren't the plot. The plot was well done and I enjoyed the twists and relationships. Gemma and Alex are adorable together. They've been friends for so long that becoming more than that is awkward but real. Harper's relationship was one I liked even more. She's kind of friends with Daniel, who lives on a boat near where her dad works. At first she hates him, but the tension between them is brutal and the every time they were together I just wanted them to start making out (oh, did I say that out loud?) The dialogue was choppy though and most of the story was told through the third person narration that seemed to be in both Gemma and Harper's points of view. I would have liked it better if it was told in first person with alternating points of view because than it would have made more sense. The words that were spoken out loud didn't sound realistic and most of the time I just felt awkward for the characters because they were saying awkward things. 

The story moves quickly but not too much seems to happen between the beginning and the end. Most of the plot is told in the description, which leaves little to nothing for us to figure out throughout the book. Some of the decisions that Gemma makes made me want to choke her and I still cant understand why she didn't have the power to escape the girls. I'll read the sequel because curiosity will get the best of me and the way that this one ended made me want to know what will happen next (mostly, will Harper and Daniel ever make out?) It was a quick read and I'd recommend it to anyone who enjoys mermaids or sirens because Hocking has an interesting take on these mythological creatures. 

“Every man would fall in love with their voice, their lovely appearance, but no man would ever get past that. They'd never really know the girls for who they actually were, never really love them. It would be impossible for any of the four girls to ever really fall in love and be genuinely loved in return.” 

36. The Lightning Thief

Book #36: Percy Jackson and the Olympians: The Lightning Thief
Author: Rick Riordan
Published: April 1, 2006
377 Pages
5 Gold Stars

(summary from Goodreads)

Percy Jackson is about to be kicked out of boarding school... again. And that's the least of his troubles. Lately, mythological monsters and the gods of Mount Olympus seem to be walking straight out of the pages of Percy's Greek mythology textbook and into his life. And worse, he's angered a few of them. Zeus' master lightning bolt has been stolen, and Percy is the prime suspect.

Now Percy and his friends have just ten days to find and return Zeus' stolen property and bring peace to a warring Mount Olympus. But to succeed on his quest, Percy will have to do more than catch the true thief: he must come to terms with the father who abandoned him; solve the riddle of the Oracle, which warns him of betrayal by a friend; and unravel a treachery more powerful than the gods themselves.

I watched the movie when it came out a few years ago. I'm the kind of person who can't really get into a book after seeing the movie. This has happened many times where I've bought the book, tried to read it, and failed. So when I finally picked up the first Percy Jackson book, I was nervous about whether I'd be able to do it. Within the first chapter, I already knew the book was going to stand on its own with the movie. And let me just say this, the book is so much better than the movie (yes I know, we say that all the time, but like I said I usually read the book first)

Percy Jackson has had issues in school for as long as he knows. He gets in trouble easier and strange things seem to follow him through different schools. He's been expelled more times than not, so when the class goes on a field trip to a museum, Percy is eager to not get in trouble. Easier said than done. When one of his teachers turns into a Fury, a Greek monster, Percy knows there's something wrong. And when his other teacher throws him a pen that turns into a knife, he thinks that's the strangest thing that will happen. Boy is he wrong. After battling a Minotaur and discovering too much about his life, Percy ends up at Camp Half-Blood, a camp for those child born to one mortal parent and one God. Oh ya, Percy, you're the son of a Greek God. Percy continues his struggles at camp, bullied and tormented as usually. But when Zeus' lightning bolt is stolen and Percy is sent out on a quest to retrieve it, things may be looking up for the kid.

With two friends at his side, Grover and Annabeth, Percy sets out to find the Underworld, thinking Hades has taken the bolt. The novel is so action packed that you don't realize you've read 100 pages until you notice how far along you are. An adventure awaits every corner for the young Half-bloods. They meet other Gods along the way that may or may not be what they seem. They travel into strange places and risk death more times than not. Riordan writes in simple language, which is good since the narrator, Percy, is only twelve. Percy has been through a lot in his life and is still trying to take in everything that's happening around him. Yet he stays strong and does not stir from his mission.

Greek mythology is a key component to this series. It flows perfectly through the novel, never stirring from sight. Riordan shows that the world is under a mist and that there is so much behind that curtain that we don't know. It all sees very plausible. I've been a fan of mythology all my life, so reading about Gods and Olympus brought a smile to my face. The world Riordan takes us to is full of magic, love, hope, and heroes. And Percy fits right in - finally.


“Go on with what your heart tells you, or you will lose all.” 


“If my life is going to mean anything, I have to live it myself.”