The Hammer of Thor by Rick Riordan

"Just like the good old days: marching together into the unknown, searching for missing magical weapons and risking painful death. I’d missed my buddies!"

The Sword of Summer by Rick Riordan

Publication Date:  October 6, 2015
Publisher:  Disney-Hyperion Books
Pages:  491
Series:  Magnus Chase and the Gods of Asgard #1
Genre:  Fantasy
Synopsis:  Magnus Chase has always been a troubled kid. Since his mother’s mysterious death, he’s lived alone on the streets of Boston, surviving by his wits, keeping one step ahead of the police and the truant officers.

One day, he’s tracked down by a man he’s never met—a man his mother claimed was dangerous. The man tells him an impossible secret: Magnus is the son of a Norse god.

The Viking myths are true. The gods of Asgard are preparing for war. Trolls, giants and worse monsters are stirring for doomsday. To prevent Ragnarok, Magnus must search the Nine Worlds for a weapon that has been lost for thousands of years.

When an attack by fire giants forces him to choose between his own safety and the lives of hundreds of innocents, Magnus makes a fatal decision.

Sometimes, the only way to start a new life is to die . . .

Top Ten Tuesday: Authors I've Read The Most Books From

Top Ten Tuesday is a meme created by The Broke and the Bookish.  Today the theme is the authors that I have read the most books from.  I have trouble with starting series and not finishing them right away, so we'll see how this goes.  But just remember:  it's quality, not quantity that matters.  Not all books I have read on this list have been my favorites, even though I may have read a million of them.

Top Ten Tuesday: Most Anticipated Book Releases of 2015

Top Ten Tuesday is a meme created by The Broke and the Bookish, and the theme this week is to list the top ten book releases of (the rest of) 2015 that I am excited for!  

The Blood of Olympus by Rick Riordan (The few spoilers are marked in red)

Publication Date: October 7, 2014
Publisher: Disney-Hyperion
Series: The Heroes of Olympus #5
Pages: 516 
Genre: Fantasy/Mythology
Synopsis: Though the Greek and Roman crewmembers of the Argo II have made progress in their many quests, they still seem no closer to defeating the earth mother, Gaea. Her giants have risen—all of them—and they're stronger than ever. They must be stopped before the Feast of Spes, when Gaea plans to have two demigods sacrificed in Athens. She needs their blood—the blood of Olympus—in order to wake.

The demigods are having more frequent visions of a terrible battle at Camp Half-Blood. The Roman legion from Camp Jupiter, led by Octavian, is almost within striking distance. Though it is tempting to take the Athena Parthenos to Athens to use as a secret weapon, the friends know that the huge statue belongs back on Long Island, where it "might" be able to stop a war between the two camps.

The Athena Parthenos will go west; the Argo II will go east. The gods, still suffering from multiple personality disorder, are useless. How can a handful of young demigods hope to persevere against Gaea's army of powerful giants? As dangerous as it is to head to Athens, they have no other option. They have sacrificed too much already. And if Gaea wakes, it is game over.