April 16 - 22, 2017

The Sea of Monsters
The Titan's Curse
The Battle of the Labyrinth
The Last Olympian all by Rick Riordan - Percy Jackson continues his battle against the Titans. All while dealing with teenage stuff. And trying to figure out what the prophecy really means about him. This all culminates in a battle for Olympus itself in New York. Lots of action and battles against mythical creatures. Loyalty, betrayal, courage, and steadfastness. I enjoyed these YA fantasy books but am going to end the series here where this story line wraps up.

3 stars
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Burning Bright by Nicholas Petrie - the second Peter Ash book starts with a bang and just keeps on going. June Cassidy is threatened by shadowy government agents (are they?) and runs for her life. Peter, still suffering from PTSD, and June meet in an improbable way and he is immediately attracted to her toughness. Evidently June has a computer program written by her mother that lots of people want and they're not picky about how they get it. Lots of running from danger, shooting, and language with some non-graphic sex scenes. It does get a little muddled near the end but by that point I didn't care. I liked this as much or more as the first in the series and would like to get to know Peter Ash more.

4.5 stars
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High Heat by Lee Child - it's 1977 and an almost 17 yo Jack Reacher hits New York City just in time to save an FBI agent and experience a total blackout. He also takes on a mob boss and gives a valuable clue to the identity of Son of Sam. All totally unbelievable, at 16 he's built like he is now and just as much a smart mouth. Still fun though. There is a soft porn sex scene. I'm disappointed the author is feeling the need to insert these and am wondering if he's being pushed by a publisher or going through a midlife crisis. Lots happening in this very short ebook.

3 stars
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The Waste Lands by Stephen King - Roland, the last Gunslinger is still searching for the Dark Tower. Now he has Susannah and Eddie with him, the people from our world he drew to him on the beach. But the fate of Jake, the boy he met in the first book,  is driving him mad. How can the boy be dead and not dead. And in our world Jake feels he is going insane too. He feels he should be dead but is not. Lots of magicky stuff happens until they're all together.When they reach a city, they meet insane people and insane computers. The book ends with them hurtling toward certain death as they try to stump Blaine the monorail with riddles. I feel the author didn't plot this book so much as ad lib it.

3 stars