(SPOILERS!) (^^ Also I totally think the UK cover version is better than the American version)

Wow...so I just finished this book.

I wanted to take my sweet, sweet time with it to cope with the fact Magnus Chase isn't coming out until October. (...FierroChase for life)

This book had all the epicness and humor that's to be expected from Rick Riordan...there really were some laugh-out-loud moments. One of my favorite scenes was when Calypso was Lester's choir, and insulted him in the process, while Leo was in the background in his underwear. I mean, there's even fanart. Was this not the whole book, though?

And now some mini-reviews of the new characters:

Hemithea and Josephine are??? so badass??? Like, yes you go kill everyone with that gatling gun!

Agamethus deserved better. He really did. I hope he found his brother.

Speaking of which, Trophonius was salty, but not as salty as Commodus, holy heck.

Also can we just talk about Apollo's relationship with him??? Like, they seemed really cute. Too bad Commode-Man became bloodthirsty and crazy...but y'know. Just thousand-year old ex-boyfriend rivalry stuff. No biggie (HUGE biggie).

Lityerses is LIT. I love him. I don't know why exactly, but I love him.

Sssssarah is interesting, but totally extra. I wonder what she did to get in that jail cell.

Hunter and the Hunters! I'm so glad Thalia's back. She's pretty cool. Ride those combat ostriches into the sunrise!

Meg's backstory was so unexpectedly heavy, omg. I want to know the deal with that flower, the rose that was supposed to never die. Maybe her dad's alive? *crosses fingers*

Speaking of which, what is Demeter thinking about as she's watching the whole ordeal from Mount Olympus?

Tall, Dark, and Jamie. Give me more of him. He is totally related to an African god, and in my mind he's...really pretty??? I had no idea accountants could be so pretty. I can see why Apollo fell for him as hard as he did.

Also, when Apollo saw Heloise's dead body, and Abelard flew up into the skies to grieve, I darn near cried. They deserved so much better.

My one request for the series: When Apollo becomes a god again, Artemis hugs him.

Leo and Calypso's relationship has me worried. I hope they're alright. I hope they open that mechanic shop they joked about. Also Leo called Piper his home girl! Brotp right there.

Now, let's see. Maybe in the third book, we're going to meet Frank, and Hazel, and Jason, and Piper, and just...gah, I want to meet everybody! Ella and Tyson, too!

After this book, the Arrow of Dodona became my favorite character. Like...he's so...I don't know, unique? And sassy. I wonder what would happen if Jack and the arrow met. I mean, Apollo did meet Frey once, right? "I met this smoking hot god...but his sword wouldn't shut up," or something like that.

Also:

GROVER YESSSSSSSSS YOU'RE BACK! I MISSED YA, BUDDY.

~~~~~

Basically this book gave me all the feels. Along with the new official art. Like, Viria was already one of my favorite artists, and after hearing she was the one responsible for the new art...

J-Just, look at these beauties:

Percabeth (pronounced "SmartWater")

Here's everyone's favorite Shadow Boy.

Aaaand cue the meme: "I saw a man so beautiful I started crying???"

But seriously. Nico's lucky. I still can't over the fact that they fell over the canoe on the lake when that giant statue attacked.

I think it's just me but this is exactly how I have pictured Leo half of the time.

And apparently this is Octavian???

....

Okay...I think it's finally time to get something off of my chest.

I imagined Octavian as this really short dude with a fuzzy white afro, and mad-scientist glasses. And I imagined it when he was flying into the sky, and dying.

That is all.

*cough*

So yeah, here was my yearly Percy Jackson rant. See you when Ship of the Dead comes out.