OfftheShelf2025

The Lost Hero: Heroes of Olympus Book 1 | Rick Riordan

so-so

I am divided by this book. All the way through I had to keep reminding myself this was a children's book because it is badly researched, weirdly paced, and very repetitive.

Things happen to the characters, they don't make things happen. The characters themselves were rather bland and there was no connection between them.

⬇️

PuddleJumper 1. It was difficult to get into because the characters either don't know who they are or are keeping secrets even during their POV chapters.

It really did not need to be as long as it was! So much could have been cut out and it wouldn't have impacted the plot.

I'm coming late to this series so hopefully things improve in later books/series but the writing of women was questionable
14h

PuddleJumper 2. Now, onto the fun stuff. I'm going to preface this by saying, classicists by nature are pedantic assholes.

First thing, Riordan's representation of the Greek gods is Romanised. He bases many aspects of their personality and history on Latin sources rather than available Greek sources.

This makes things very messy when introducing the Roman facet of the Greek gods. He should have just made them a separate pantheon.
14h

PuddleJumper 3. He says the Roman gods are harsher because of the Roman empire. The Athenians would like to fight you about their lack of empire in this universe.

The Greek city states were constantly warring with each other during the Archaic and Classical period. They weren't less ‘warlike‘.
14h

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PuddleJumper 4. Arguably, Rome sustained such a large empire for so long because they were amazing administrators. No one cares about that aspect of their godhood. Let me see Mars, arbiter of the war fund. 14h

PuddleJumper 5. Another gripe of mine is the representation of Aphrodite and her children. There's a denigration of femininity and this weird idea that beauty and femininity are the same thing. Aphrodite‘s children are portrayed as weak because they are vain and interested in stereotypically feminine things.

Thanks, I hate it.
14h

PuddleJumper 6. When Piper is claimed by Aphrodite, she is transformed so that she is wearing a dress that makes her uncomfortable, make-up and better hair. What a shallow idea of beauty.

Piper's strengths are always framed as ‘for a kid of Aphrodite.‘ If you want your interpretation of Aphrodite to be vain and jealous then she should be terrorising these kids for their disrespect. Piper is amazing because she is her kid and not in spite of it.
14h

PuddleJumper 7. Overall, it wasn't terrible but it's not something I particularly enjoyed reading.

#RiordanReadalong #AllergicToChunksters #ReadorDonate @julieclair #LitsyAtoZ @Texreader #BookChain 2025 @TheAromaofBooks #ChunksterChallenge2025 @Amiable #OffTheShelf2025 @Librariana
14h

Booksblanketsandahotbeverage I‘ve read these and I liked his Trials of Apollo series more. The books were shorter, for one, and a funny haiku started each chapter. (edited) 13h

Booksblanketsandahotbeverage My hands down favorite by him in the percy jackson world is

The Sun and the Star (From the World of Percy Jackson)

13h

TheAromaofBooks I had mixed feelings about this series as well. 13h

PuddleJumper @Booksblanketsandahotbeverage I'm excited by the other series. They look more interesting 13h

PuddleJumper @TheAromaofBooks It definitely wasn't his best 13h

dabbe 🖤🐾🖤 11h

julieclair Really well done review. 👍 I have been curious about the Percy Jackson series. I‘m guessing this is one you will definitely donate! 😂 (edited) 11h

33 likes14 comments

ElizaMarie

Gray After Dark | Noelle West Ihli

pick

I spent the day reading yesterday and finished this. There were some parts I struggled with (abuse), but overall, I found it really engaging. I don't know who gifted me this book (It didn't have a name) but #ThankYou for it!

#LetterG #LitsyAtoZ @TexReader
#ISpy Silver/Grey Title @TheAromaOfBooks
#OffTheShelf2025 (since it was gifted) @Librariana

TheAromaofBooks Woohoo!!! 4d

24 likes1 comment

Librariana

A Quiet Life: A Novel | Ethan Joella

Going based solely on the cover, but may need to change it if the visual has nothing to do with the setting 🤔

#TBRtarot #OfftheShelf2025
@CBee

CBee I‘m fine with you choosing it for the cover 😊 4d

17 likes1 comment

Enchanted_Bibliophile

Challenges | Serge Lang

This is all the challenges I'm parttaking in for 2025

#BookSpin & #DoubleSpin @TheAromaofBooks
#Pantone2025 @Lauredhel
#Jumpstart2025 @Lizpixie
#StoryGraph #PageChalleng2025
#LitsyAtoZ @Texreader
#BookChain2025 @TheAromaofBooks
#FictionalTraveler @julieclair
#SeriesLove2025 @Andrew65 @TheSpineView
#AllergicToChunksters @julieclair
#ChunksterChallenge2025 @Amiable
#OffTheShelf2025 @Librariana

Texreader Yay!!! 5d

TheSpineView Good luck! 5d

Amiable Wowsa! That‘s a lotta reading! Happy 2025! 5d

See All 9 Comments

Andrew65 That‘s a lot of challenges, good luck. 5d

TheAromaofBooks Woohoo!! 5d

julieclair Love this! Lots of fun ahead! 🎉 5d

ElizaMarie Thanks for posting this. I am trying to figure out if and what challenges I might add to this year. 5d

Ruthiella Love it! 😊 5d

Librariana Looks fantastic! Best of luck to you 🍀 and Happy reading! ☺️💜📚 5d

54 likes9 comments

LitsyEvents

Off the Shelf Second Edition | Gerardus Blokdyk

repost for @Librariana:

In previous iterations, I believe #offtheshelf was a very low-key #readingchallenge that encouraged folks to read their own books and track which titles came “off the shelf“.

I'll be using the hashtag #offtheshelf2025 in the coming year to help track how many of my own books I read...

see original post for more info:
https://www.litsy.com/web/post/2822778

Librariana Thank you kindly for the tag ☺️ 7d

51 likes1 comment

Librariana

Reading Challenge | Lesley Yates

In previous iterations, I believe #offtheshelf was a very low-key #readingchallenge that encouraged folks to read their own books and track which titles came "off the shelf".

I realize this is very similar to other "prioritize your own collection" challenges, but I'll be using the hashtag #offtheshelf2025 in the coming year to help track how many of my own books I read...

(Cont'd ⬇️)

Librariana (1 of 3) and how my collection changes, either through donation or a plan to reread in the future. 1w

Librariana (2 of 3) I'm not entirely certain who hosted this in the past here on Litsy (Mr. @Andrew65 ?), but since I do not wish to assign any unwanted hosting duties or prompt responsibilities to anyone, I humbly offer this image I collaged and invite anyone who's interested in participating to do so. 1w

Librariana (3 of 3) Feel free to tag me if you'd like to share which books you've read, what you thought of them, and what your plans are for the title OR feel free to keep your tracking completely confidential. Happy reading! 1w

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TheBookHippie There‘s a #readordonate one in it‘s second year that‘s similar run by @julieclair 1w

Andrew65 Wasn‘t me in this case. Thanks for this image - always love the ones you produce. This is a good challenge and I definitely need to get more off my shelves. 1w

Librariana Ooohh! Thank you for letting me know about this one, @TheBookHippie! Wasn't in my radar and appreciate the info 😊 7d

Librariana Thank you for the kind compliment, @Andrew65 ☺️ Like I mentioned, this is extremely low-key and meant more as a means of tracking my own commitment to reading more of my own books this year. 7d

Tove_Reads @andrew65 I think we had something to do with this a couple of years ago 🙂 7d

Andrew65 @Tove_Reads Thinking deeper on it I possibly remember that now! 🙈 Do so many things you forget some of them. 😂 7d

Andrew65 @Librariana I wish I had half your talent or creativity in producing backdrops. 7d

Seabreeze_Reader @Librariana Does this include our digital bookshelves? I was hoping someone would offer an all inclusive tbr challenge. (I think julieclair's technically is for HB and PB books only.) I almost added a tbr challenge myself but didn't want to accidentally step on anyone's toes with so many challenges already available. (edited) 7d

quietlycuriouskate I think I've just found the one reading challenge I want to commit to! This year it's felt like I've single-handedly been keeping the library catalogue in circulation, meanwhile my own books... 😶 7d

Librariana @Seabreeze_Reader - Absolutely!! Please, please make it work for you and your reading! This is definitely an inclusive challenge and digital, audio, and physical are ALL welcome! 7d

Librariana @quietlycuriouskate - I'm so glad this challenge will work for you! 😄😁 I work for the acquisitions department of a local library system myself and it's JUST like working in a candy store! The temptation is ALWAYS there. It's very difficult to keep my holds queue manageable, but I hope this will motivate me to just build lists and use my own books. 7d

Librariana @Tove_Reads @Andrew65 - I'm glad my memory remembered some of the details! ?☺️ My apologies to you both as it was not my intention to step on any toes or "take this over"; it was more of a "gosh, I think I'd really like to participate in that challenge again/more earnestly" and I couldn't find a tag for this year! 7d

Librariana @Andrew65 - You're very generous and kind with your compliments ☺️ Thank you! I'm very flattered ? Although I don't know if you'll feel the same after I tell you that I actually made an image for your "Series Love" challenge back in... 2023, I'd like to say?... I wanted to gift it to you for your use, but then I ended up keeping it to myself because I didn't want to be rude... and now here I am telling you about my ticky tackyness ? 7d

Seabreeze_Reader @Librariana Thank you. 🙂 This challenge will definitely work well for me this year. I need to tackle the books, ebooks & audiobooks I own but otherwise have horrible follow through with themed reads or reading specific books during specific months. I'm too much of a mood reader. I agree with Andrew's comment; love the graphic for this challenge. 👍 7d

julieclair @Librariana As @TheBookHippie said, #ReadOrDonate is similar, but as @Seabreeze_Reader indicated, it really is meant for physical books. The concept: choose one book each month, and if you haven‘t read it by the end of the month, you are “required” to donate it. If you have read it, you‘re “allowed” to keep it if you want. It is meant to help folks clear space on their overflowing physical bookshelves. #offtheshelf seems more all-encompassing. 👍 (edited) 6d

Librariana Much like you, @Seabreeze_Reader, I am also a mood reader and don't typically do too well with rigid challenges or specific reads. Having said that... I'm gonna contradict myself and admit that there will be (1) challenge I'll be participating in where there will be prompts... but it's Taylor Swift themed, so I couldn't help myself 😆 6d

Librariana @julieclair - I'm glad @TheBookHippie mentioned the challenge you'll be hosting (and the similarity to this one 😁), but I'm grateful to you for also sharing the specifics 😊 I think, more than anything, I want to hold myself accountable when it comes to reading the physical books I purchase and listening to the digital audiobooks I download. If this 'challenge' can serve as a spot for people to track their progress, awesome! 6d

Librariana @julieclair - Happy there are so many different options for all of us to enrich our reading lives and to engage with one another ☺️💜 6d

TheBookHippie We‘re all just trying to tackle the piles ♥️😊 6d

julieclair @TheBookHippie @Librariana Yes! The piles are a constant battle and it‘s nice to have support! 😘 I‘m planning to use the off the shelf hashtag to track every owned physical book I read this year. 😃🩵 6d

Librariana @TheBookHippie @julieclair Oh gosh, are we ever trying to climb MountTBR and tackle all the other piles that arise from being readers! ? It truly IS nice to have people on your corner who "get it" because they understand the life of book dragons. It'll be lovely to see how we all make progress this year through all these dedicated efforts ? Happy reading to you both and a prosperous new year! ??? 6d

julieclair @Librariana Same to you! 📚🥳🎆🎇💙 6d

Andrew65 @Librariana No need to apologise at all 😊 Good to see it resurrected. 6d

Andrew65 @Librariana Thanks for sharing the image ❤️ 6d

CBee @Librariana this looks like something I should try 🤔 5d

ElizaMarie I spent 2024 this year keeping track of my #FromYourShelves #AudibleBacklog and #KindleBacklog books I read. I must say, though, it didn't stop me from adding and adding and adding! Ha, the curse of a book lover! Anyway. I love this #HashTag that adds it all together! Thank you for this! I am joining in - I hope you don't mind the future tags! 5d

Librariana @ElizaMarie I will not mind them at all! I welcome being tagged by folks if they'd like to share their progress ☺️ Add away to your collection if you purchase something new or if the title you brought "off the shelf" is going "back on"... subtract from it if you choose to gift, donate, or sell... and remember, physical, digital, and audio are all welcome ? 5d

Librariana @ElizaMarie I'll also add that I hope you won't mind this being a very low-key, free range, "choose your own adventure" type of challenge with no prompts since I wanted each person to decide how this best fits them ☺️ 5d

Librariana @CBee Aw, sis! I kinda have NO idea what I'm doing, but I mostly just wanted to give folks a place where they could track numbers/stats for their own books as well as their progress through the year. I want to treat it as like an "this book came off the shelf and it's going back as READ" or "I read it and now I'm passing it on as a gift" or "I'm gonna donate this", and so on and so forth ? 5d

CBee @Librariana I just really need to read ALL these books that I own. Maybe this will help🤞🏻 5d

27 likes33 comments

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