The Serpent's Shadow (Kane Chronicles #3) by Rick Riordan

The Serpent's Shadow is the third and final book in the Kane Chronicles series. Check out the cover and Goodreads blurb:

He's b-a-a-ack! Despite their best efforts, Carter and Sadie Kane can't seem to keep Apophis, the chaos snake, down. Now Apophis is threatening to plunge the world into eternal darkness, and the Kanes are faced with the impossible task of having to destroy him once and for all. Unfortunately, the magicians of the House of Life are on the brink of civil war, the gods are divided, and the young initiates of Brooklyn House stand almost alone against the forces of chaos. The Kanes' only hope is an ancient spell that might turn the serpent's own shadow into a weapon, but the magic has been lost for a millennia. To find the answer they need, the Kanes must rely on the murderous ghost of a powerful magician who might be able to lead them to the serpent's shadow . . . or might lead them to their deaths in the depths of the underworld. Nothing less than the mortal world is at stake when the Kane family fulfills its destiny in this thrilling conclusion to the Kane Chronicles.

The Serpent's Shadow starts with crushing losses and defeat.  The book absolutely does not end that way, though.  Carter and Sadie each grow on their own in this story.  I love the way that they interact with the gods, with each other and with their friends from the House of Life.  Sade, Walt and Anubis were my favorite characters in this story because of their strange but interesting dynamic.  I enjoyed their parts in this story.  Carter had so much to deal with as he went out on his own as well.  He learns and grows in his magic.  I loved watching the Kanes as their thrived in the face of adversity.  I was glad to see so many cameos by characters from other books as well as interesting new characters.  This book is easily my favorite of the series and I really hope that you will give this series a try!

The Kane Chronicles can be added to your Goodreads by clicking here. You can also find author Rick Riordan on Twitter and on his website.  I give The Serpent's Shadow 4 Fairies for a wonderful conclusion to the Kane Chronicles full of pain, magic and celebration.

Throne of Fire (Kane Chronicles #2) by Rick Riordan

My husband and I read the Kane Chronicles books after our oldest son decided that they were the his absolute favorite books of all time. I had tried to read the series before but could not get into them. This time though, I was able to see the series through my son's eyes. I could really enjoy the books as he had. Throne of Fire is the second book in the series, check out the cover and goodreads blurb:

Ever since the gods of Ancient Egypt were unleashed in the modern world, Carter Kane and his sister Sadie have been in trouble. As descendants of the House of Life, the Kanes have some powers at their command, but the devious gods haven't given them much time to master their skills at Brooklyn House, which has become a training ground for young magicians.

And now their most threatening enemy yet - the chaos snake Apophis - is rising. If they don't prevent him from breaking free in a few days' time, the world will come to an end. In other words, it's a typical week for the Kane family.

To have any chance of battling the Forces of Chaos, the Kanes must revive the sun god Ra. But that would be a feat more powerful than any magician has ever accomplished.

First they have to search the world for the three sections of the Book of Ra, then they have to learn how to chant its spells. Oh, and did we mention that no one knows where Ra is exactly?

Narrated in two different wisecracking voices, featuring a large cast of new and unforgettable characters, and with adventures spanning the globe, this second installment in the Kane Chronicles is nothing short of a thrill ride.

I like Carter's narration better than Sadie's but she gets better over the course of the books for me. I don't know what it is about her that bothers me but she rubs me the wrong way. I adore watching her with Anubis though, she's so out of her element with him and he finds her so interesting... I love their dynamic. I feel like I could really use more time to really get to know Carter but maybe he's just a little more emotionally aloof than Sadie is.  I loved seeing all of the new friends that Carter and Sadie have made as they've opened up the House of Life to help other young magicians.  I think that Felix may be my favorite even though we see only a little of him.  Carter and Sadie have to traverse some creepy and scary places on their journey in this story.  The book will leave you more than a little sad before you read the next (final) book in the series.

The Kane Chronicles can be added to your Goodreads by clicking here. You can also find author Rick Riordan on Twitter and on his website. I give The Throne of Fire 4 Fairies for an emotional read that will have you swooning over Anubis, laughing at Felix with his penguin minions and crying for the loss of a great friend.

The Red Pyramid (Kane Chronicles #1) by Rick Riordan

My son loves the Kane Chronicles.  He has just fallen in love with Carter and Sadie and their magical world.  The series has given him an intense interest in Egyptology.  He's read and re-read these books a dozen times.  His dad and I had to see what he loved about them.  Here's the cover and Goodreads blurb:

Since their mother's death, Carter and Sadie have become near strangers. While Sadie has lived with her grandparents in London, her brother has traveled the world with their father, the brilliant Egyptologist, Dr. Julius Kane.

One night, Dr. Kane brings the siblings together for a "research experiment" at the British Museum, where he hopes to set things right for his family. Instead, he unleashes the Egyptian god Set, who banishes him to oblivion and forces the children to flee for their lives.

Soon, Sadie and Carter discover that the gods of Egypt are waking, and the worst of them —Set— has his sights on the Kanes. To stop him, the siblings embark on a dangerous journey across the globe - a quest that brings them ever closer to the truth about their family and their links to a secret order that has existed since the time of the pharaohs.

These books were not the same as the Percy Jackson books.  I don't know if it is a different style between the two series' or what but the Red Pyramid does read differently.  I just found them to be a different kind of adventure story.  Carter and Sadie take turns narrating, sometimes speaking as if they are doing an audio diary of the events.  I find Carter to be the better narrator.  I just felt like Sadie is a bit young and immature.  Carter was just the better narrator to me.  I enjoyed the humorous moments that Riordan uses to lighten this sometimes scary and serious world that the Kanes inhabit.  The other thing that I found very interesting about this series is that while Percy works within the system (he goes to Camp Half Blood) while Carter and Sadie are opposing the House of Life... sort of.  Carter and Sadie also go through much of this book without the help of their friends.  I really enjoyed this book and I am looking forward to reading the next one!

The Kane Chronicles can be added to your Goodreads by clicking here. You can also find author Rick Riordan on Twitter and on his website. I give The Red Pyramid 4 Fairies for a great story with typical Rick Riordan spirit and humor.