Team !!TOO LIT TO QUIT!!: Book Talk Reading Challenge April 2025 - Page 29

Have you read The Psychopath Next Door by Mark Edwards?

Originally posted by: heavenlybliss

Have you read The Psychopath Next Door by Mark Edwards?

Originally posted by: LizzieBennet

Also how did the team name under my UN get changed to the new one automatically, wo bhi 3 days early?

Originally posted by: heavenlybliss

Also how did the team name under my UN get changed to the new one automatically, wo bhi 3 days early?

I’ll change them back and add new teams

I might finish only around 950 pages... But at least I got back to making time to read, and that is a big step for me honestly.

I used to read a lot earlier. Then got busier and busier but thanks for this challenge. I will pick up pace step by step and will hopefully get back to good old days.

Originally posted by: foreverlazy

Got about halfway through Ch. 16 before I realized I wanted to note down some thoughts before I fly through the rest of the book.

• I love Sally Jackson a little bit more every time Percy mentions her, or we get just a little bit of backstory. She's the book equivalent of a TV dad. (There are many reasons why I hated the Percy Jackson movie but as I've been reading this book, never delving deep into Sally Jackson's role in the book was an insane choice, specifically her reasoning for staying with Smelly Gabe - that could've been easily added into the movie the same way they had done it in the book.)
• I did have to look up what Pinochle is... perfect choice in card game considering the characters involved and what I think one of the main themes is.
• I love the characterization of the gods and also their powers. For example, when you think of Dionysus, you remember him as the god of wine and pleasure. But as highlighted here, he's also the god of vegetation, hence the strawberry farm (excellent choice of income, strawberries cost an arm and a leg and then some). Another would the emphasis on Athena being the goddess of both wisdom and war, and the way that's shown through her children - particularly Annabeth who thirsts for a quest and constantly thinks of battle strategies, always 20 steps ahead of everyone else.
• My personal favourite pieces of writing characterizing Zeus: "Like a kindergartener over a toy." - pg. 130 (in reference to the master bolt) // "... trapped Zeus and wouldn't let him out until he promised to be a better ruler, right?" - pg. 137. They treat/think of Zeus as a child and I could not have written him better myself. Something about a powerful leader ruling with an iron fist and throwing a temper tantrum every time he doesn't get his way feels oddly familiar. (Maybe Rick Riordan is the one with the gift of prophecy, not Apollo.)
• Percy and I absolutely share a brain cell because if your ego is gonna be bruised if you don't get a cabin, despite having no children, at least offer to house some of the unclaimed like Hermes does. Like, imagine Hermes showing you up as a decent person.
• Olympus being in the Empire State Building vs the entrance to the Underworld being in Los Angeles - choose your fighter.
• Rick Riordan's insane re-writing of history. That's it.
• I need to know if Rick had someone particular in mind as Thalia's mother... I don't have any theories and I don't know if this is a big thing, but most of this series has already been spoiled for me so maybe just one suprise would be nice to have.
• "The usual nonsense..." - oh I just know that behind all this 'respect the gods' BS, Chiron is so sick and tired of the gods (full quote on pg. 135)
• I don't like how Medusa's myth was depicted, but that's really nothing new. Her being reduced to Poseidon's girlfriend was foul to me. (I have heard that they've tried to rectify this in the show, but I'll be the judge of that.)
• Speaking of the show, I'm two episodes in, and although I do think that it is incredibly rushed (as is most tv nowadays... we should've gotten AT LEAST 12 episodes considering the current pacing), I'm having a lot of fun with it so far. I know I'm only now reading the books but the kids are perfectly characterized.

I will put the full review in the spreadsheet soon, but 4.5 stars for this one! I'll def end up reading Sea of Monsters for next month instead because I just put it on hold at the library.

I still have one book left that I think I'll finish soon though. Bet You by Neve Wilder is Book #4 in the Franklin U series and I started listening to it yesterday because I just wanted an audiobook to listen to on my walk and I was out of hours on Spotify. I've read about 30% of it and it's been pretty fun so far - I haven't actually read a banter-y, enemies-to-lovers book in a while and some of the tropes like jockxnerd and 'one person bets that they can get the other to date them' had me feeling a little nostalgic.

Originally posted by: foreverlazy

I'm finally getting around to starting the Percy Jackson series! I just finished Ch. 4 of The Lightning Thief - Annabeth just had her first ever line and I'm having so much fun with this book. (Not that I ever really doubted that I wouldn't like it - it might've been nearly 15 years ago, but I remember really liking The Lightning Thief when I first read it. I simply did not continue the series because 10-year-old me thought boys were disgusting and was not willing to read another book from a boy's POV. )

My thoughts so far:

• The book is incredibly funny in just the most unserious way.
• Rick Riordan's characterization is so distinct from the get-go, like, Percy's snark/humour is very different from Grover's (for example).
• I'm actually kind of mad that middle grade and children's books get to have fun chapter titles and YA/NA books don't. (At least from what I've seen.)
• I'm already incredibly attached to Percy's mom, Sally. The way Rick has written Percy to love her makes me love her as though she were my own mother.
• Pleasantly surprised by my own Greek mythology knowledge.

Lizzie sorry to jump into your team thread without invitation!

Hey Diya, your recs are really good I read one of the books from the review thread & liked it! Keep posting those reviews man, it’ll help a perpetually confused soul like me

Originally posted by: missFiesty_69

Lizzie sorry to jump into your team thread without invitation!

Hey Diya, your recs are really good I read one of the books from the review thread & liked it! Keep posting those reviews man, it’ll help a perpetually confused soul like me

Thank you!! Which one did you read? 😁

Originally posted by: foreverlazy

Thank you!! Which one did you read? 😁

I liked Popstar by Eden Finley

Originally posted by: missFiesty_69

I liked Popstar by Eden Finley

Popstar will always have such a special place in my heart because it was my introduction to the Sadenverse. And I'm also just really protective of this book and Harley as a character because I just think that his life and journey getting to Brix is so tragic and something about him will always stay with me. Also, a lot of people tend to hate Popstar since Harley's ex Jet's book came first and it seems to be a fan-favourite. (Which is why I've been putting off that book for two years now. 🤣🤣🤣🤣)