"The Chalice of the Gods" is a return to the magic of the original Percy Jackson series. It is a fun adventure, but what really made me enjoy it was the quiet moments in-between the chaos. In high-action stories, it's very rare for a character to just enjoy normal moments with friends and family. This quest is low stakes in comparison to the original series, and it's very refreshing. ( )

What I liked best about this book was that Percy and Annabeth were now together and were comfortable with it, and had put aside all the teen drama. But the premise of needing to go on random quests to get letters of recommendation, which only holds for Percy and literally no one else, is kind of grasping. ( )

OG trio shenanies, crocs & bucket hats, classic PJO pacing perfect for a reading slump…….it’s all I ever wanted. I’m moving to Sally Jackson’s fire escape ( )

This book was so fun! It was great to see Percy and his friends do a quest that wasn't of world-ending proportions. I was a little confused at first about why Percy's baby sister wasn't mentioned, but then I realized that this book takes place before the Trials of Apollo. ( )

“Everything tastes better when you’re eating with the people you love.”
“Just because I’ve been known to burn places down, blow things up, and unleash apocalyptic disasters wherever I go… that doesn’t mean I’m totally irresponsible.”
“This is how you know you’ve found true love: when your significant other is just as bad at singing as you are.”
“You know,” he said. “sometimes it’s the smallest waves that knock you off your feet. Tsunamis—everybody knows they’re powerful. Tidal waves—big and impressive. But those small waves? They hold a lot of power. They prove what the ocean is capable of, even when no one is paying attention.”
After waiting for more than decade for a book with the original trio, I had high expectations for this book. It did not disappoint.
In this book, the original trio, Percy, Annabeth, and Grover have to complete another quest, this time for something more important than saving the world: college. I have to say, it was really enjoyable to read this. It was nice to see how the original trio were doing and Percy is, of course, the most entertaining narrator. It was great to read a book in his perspective again. This book had action, humor, and even some sweetness, like when Percy talks about his family and his love for Annabeth. It was amazing.
Now, you might be wondering, if it was so amazing, why did you rate it 4 stars instead of 5?
Well, I have a reason for that.
The thing is, it was a little… too humorous? Books narrated by Percy are always full of jokes, sarcastic quips, and are all in all pretty lighthearted (despite the trauma Rick insists upon inflicting), but I feel like it was just a little too much. It’s not that I didn’t enjoy it. I did. It’s part of Percy’s charm, but I feel like I would have enjoyed the book more if it took certain situations a little more seriously. There are some scenes that would’ve felt more serious and would’ve had more weight to it if a joke or a sarcastic thought hadn’t immediately followed afterward.
Despite that, however, I still this was a really great book. If you’re a Percy Jackson fan, it is a must-read. Rick definitely did not disappoint. ( )