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3.79 AVERAGE
3.79 AVERAGE
Got an ARC of this while at ALA and it immediately jumped to the top of the list to get read. I was not disappointed. From the start this book is basically non-stop and I loved the way the Mayan legends were introduced. Zane is such a neat character and his companions on the journey were entertaining and made the whole thing that much more fun. I will definitely be rereading this at some point in the future!
adventurous
emotional
tense
fast-paced
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
I really wanted to like this, but the worldbuilding, writing style, and characters all fell super flat for me. Dnf at page 193.
It's a fine Percy-Jackson readalike, and it's nice to see some more non-Classical mythology, but I will not read anything else in the series.
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
mysterious
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
*e-Galley provided by the publisher via NetGalley - Thank you! This in no way impacted my opinions of this book.*
I wanted to like this book, but it just missed the mark with me. Everything about it seemed promising: the imprint, the POC protagonist, the mythology, and yet the execution felt clunky and crowded in my opinion. I seem to be in the minority on this one, though.
I wanted to like this book, but it just missed the mark with me. Everything about it seemed promising: the imprint, the POC protagonist, the mythology, and yet the execution felt clunky and crowded in my opinion. I seem to be in the minority on this one, though.
*I received this book for free from netgalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.*
[3.5 stars]
Full disclosure, I forced my way through this book even though i was in a major reading slump so i reserve the right to totally change my mind upon rereading.
Frankly, I will read anything that Uncle Rick slaps his name on. And after reading and LOVING Aru Shah and the End of Time, i had very high expectations for this book. Sadly I was disappointed.
This book lacked one major thing that I expected, humor. There were definitely funny parts, but where i would laugh out loud reading Rick's books, and Aru Shah, I didn't do that with this one. Which kinda bummed me out.
But my main gripe about this book is my most hated trope, and that's a boy meeting a girl, and all of a sudden he's low-key obsessed with her, to the point of stupidity. Like I just can't handle that crap anymore. I'm over it. It really made the story drag too, like i feel this book could have been a lot shorter.
Also, something happened in the first 100 pages that got me so mad I basically pouted for the next 300. But i can't say what, because spoilers.
Anyway, what I did LOVE about this book was the family dynamics. The disabled rep. And Hondo, Jazz, Rosie, and Ms Cab. They were really what made this book for me.
I know I said a lot of negative things in my review, but I do think this was a pretty decent first book. And the way it ends, I think i'll like the second book a lot more.
[3.5 stars]
Full disclosure, I forced my way through this book even though i was in a major reading slump so i reserve the right to totally change my mind upon rereading.
Frankly, I will read anything that Uncle Rick slaps his name on. And after reading and LOVING Aru Shah and the End of Time, i had very high expectations for this book. Sadly I was disappointed.
This book lacked one major thing that I expected, humor. There were definitely funny parts, but where i would laugh out loud reading Rick's books, and Aru Shah, I didn't do that with this one. Which kinda bummed me out.
But my main gripe about this book is my most hated trope, and that's a boy meeting a girl, and all of a sudden he's low-key obsessed with her, to the point of stupidity. Like I just can't handle that crap anymore. I'm over it. It really made the story drag too, like i feel this book could have been a lot shorter.
Also, something happened in the first 100 pages that got me so mad I basically pouted for the next 300. But i can't say what, because spoilers.
Anyway, what I did LOVE about this book was the family dynamics. The disabled rep. And Hondo, Jazz, Rosie, and Ms Cab. They were really what made this book for me.
I know I said a lot of negative things in my review, but I do think this was a pretty decent first book. And the way it ends, I think i'll like the second book a lot more.
Great book for middle school! Lovers of Rick Riordian will love this.