Circe by Madeline Miller is an epic that follows the trials and triumphs of the Witch of Aiaia and Daughter of Helios, Circe. Written from Circe’s perspective in the form of a flashback, the novel begins with Circe’s birth into an immortal family, one with which despises her and with which she doesn’t fit into. After discovering her talent for Pharmakeia--or witchcraft--and using it to transform her mortal love interest and a fellow nymph into different forms, Zeus and Helios exile Circe to the island of Aiaia.
The Tyrant’s Tomb is a fantasy book by Rick Riordan. It is an absorbing page-turner that I could not put down. The book is the fourth book in the Trials of Apollo series. The Tyrant’s Tomb is about a former god named Lester Papadopoulos and his master Meg McCaffery. They go on two quests to find out information about their enemies.
This fantasy novel by Rick Riordan (Book 3 in The Trials of Apollo series) is a book that lifted my spirits and crushed my soul. In The Burning Maze, we go back to Meg’s roots and the “people” there help Lester (Apollo) and his friends defeat the burning maze. Lester and his friends help him get on the enemy’s ship to steal a valuable object.
Lovely War by Julie Berry is a romance and historical fiction novel that follows the lives of four individuals during World War I, told from the perspective of Aphrodite (goddess of passion and love). Hazel, James, Colette, and Aubrey’s paths cross by mere circumstance, and with Aphrodite’s help, beautiful relationships are formed. As time passes, the perils of war threaten to interfere with the romances and friendships.
Lovely War, written by Julie Berry, is a historical fiction romance novel narrated by the Greek goddess of love, Aphrodite, as a defense for her infidelity to her husband Hephaestus with Ares, god of war. She speaks of two couples whose stories intertwine with each other, both of whom met during the first World War, and recounts their tragic yet beautiful tale to explain why love and war are attracted to each other and to demonstrate how love requires vulnerability.
The Tower of Nero is the fifth and final book in Rick Riordan’s Trials of Apollo series. It follows the Greek god Apollo turned mortal Lester Papadopoulos, as he continues his quest to restore the power of the prophecy, take down the power-hungry Roman emperors, and regain his seat on Mount Olympus. I haven't loved the Trials of Apollo series as much as other Rick Riordan series, but this book was truly excellent.
