The Power of Six

Booklist Reviews...
Not two weeks after the climactic battle of I Am Number Four (2010), aliens John and Six, along with human ally Sam, find themselves on the run from a government that suspects them of terrorism. As their supernatural gifts—or "legacies"—become more evident, they're determined to find the four other alien teens who can help fend off the bloodthirsty Mogadorians. One of these is Marina, who narrates half the book from a convent in Spain and whose story line replicates much of the pleasure of the first book. John's and Marina's voices are nicely distinct, injecting attitude into this largely run-in-place set-piece actioner. Copyright 2011 Booklist Reviews.

This is the sequal to I Am Number Four...not too bad...I think I liked it better than the first book.

I am Number Four: The Lost Files: Six's Legacy

From Amazon.com...

Number Six—when John meets her in I Am Number Four she’s strong, powerful, and ready to fight. But who is she? Where has she been living? How has she been training? When did she develop her legacies? And how does she know so much about the Mogadorians?

In I Am Number Four: The Lost Files: Six’s Legacy, discover the story behind Six. Before Paradise, Ohio, before John Smith, Six was traveling through West Texas with her CÊpan, Katarina. What happened there would change Six forever….

This "book" was only available in electronic format, so I bought it and read it on my iPhone. I thought it was very good...

Percy Jackson and the Sea of Monsters

I also read this book and completed it a few days ago...I am really enjoying this series so far, and so far I like the first book better than the 2nd.

From Publisher's Weekly....
In a feat worthy of his heroic subjects, Riordan crafts a sequel stronger than his compelling debut in this second adventure in the Percy Jackson and the Olympians series. After a group of Laistrygonians (giant cannibals) infiltrate the dodgeball game at Percy's alternative Manhattan school, and his friend Annabeth (a daughter of Athena, introduced in the first book) comes to the rescue, the two take the homeless scholarship student Tyson with them to Camp Half-Blood, where trouble is brewing. Percy soon realizes that Tyson is a Cyclops (meaning they're half-brothers and possibly enemies—both sons of Poseidon) and learns that someone poisoned the sacred Thalia's tree, which protects the "magic borders" of the demigod camp. Riordan catches readers up seamlessly on this world in which gods still reign; he builds on existing subplots and rivalries, and introduces harrowing new challenges as Percy and Annabeth set off across the Sea of Monsters on a quest to find the Golden Fleece, which will heal Thalia's tree. Percy's relationship with Tyson and their battle against the Cyclops guarding the Fleece (Polyphemus) brings up probing questions about shame, family and loyalty. With humor, intelligence and expert pacing, the author uses this tale of believable teens and their high-stakes struggle to bring the mythical lore up to date (e.g., Hermes, appropriately, invented the Internet). A cliffhanger imparts new meaning to the prophesy (mentioned in the first book) and leaves no question that Percy's high-stakes battle for Western Civilization will continue to surprise even himself.

Percy Jackson and the Lightening Thief

One of the classes I work in was reading this book, so I pulled out Gus's copy and read it along with them. It was a lot of fun as the teacher pointed out many literary elements...it's amazing how interesting I find the middle school classes I work in...I think I appreciate education much more now as an adult than I ever did as a kid...

From Publisher's Weekly....
A clever concept drives Riordan's highly charged children's book debut (the first in a series): the Greek Gods still rule, though now from a Mt. Olympus on the 600th floor of the Empire State Building, and their offspring, demigods, live among human beings. Narrator Percy Jackson thinks he's just another troubled 12-year-old, until he vaporizes his math teacher, learns his best friend, Grover, is a satyr and narrowly escapes a minotaur to arrive at Camp Half-Blood. After a humorous stint at camp, Percy learns he's the son of Poseidon and embarks on a quest to the Underworld with Grover and Annabeth (a daughter of Athena) to resolve a battle between Zeus and Poseidon over Zeus's stolen "master" lightning bolt. Without sacrificing plot or pacing, Riordan integrates a great deal of mythology into the tale and believably places mythical characters into modern times, often with hilarious results (such as Hades ranting about the problem of "sprawl," or population explosion). However, on emotional notes the novel proves less strong (for example, Percy's grief for his mother rings hollow; readers will likely spot the "friend" who betrays the hero, as foretold by the Oracle of Delphi, before Percy does) and their ultimate confrontation proves a bit anticlimactic. Still, this swift and humorous adventure will leave many readers eager for the next installment. Ages 10-up.