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"Apollo will fall, but Apollo must rise again."

I'm literally tearing up writing this review. I've been with Rick Riordan books since 2010 when I was this lonely high school freshman. I got no friends to talk to. I wasn't part of the popular kids nor that smart to be really looked up to. I was literally just there existing until someone loaned to me her The Lightning Thief copy. So Rick I don't know if you'll ever going to see this review out of all the mountains of reviews but I just want to say deep down in my heart, thank you. You made me a reader and I will be forever thankful.

"I won't hide, I won't cower. That's not who I will be."

I must admit I indeed struggled a bit in the earlier chapters. I was so worried few hours ago that I might have outgrown this story and its lightness and how formulaic everything is. Was there a threat of the world ending? For the 14th time, yes. Was our hero unsure in facing the big bad/villain? Again for the 14th time, yes. From Percy to Jason to Carter & Sadie to Magnus and now to Apollo, everything just feels the same. That's why it took me so long to finish this because the first half was an okay read for me. What pushed this novel to be a 5 star read was the other half. When Apollo and Meg faced Nero, brilliant. When Apollo finally faced his greatest nemesis Phyton, I got goosebumps and my heart was thumping so fast. The final battle was amazingly done and hopeful and you could see how much Apollo have grown all through out. And the last three chapters killed me. That was it. That was the end. Apollo tied all loose ends for our heroes, past and new.

"To be human is to move forward, to adapt, to believe in your ability to make things better. That is the only way to make the pain and sacrifice mean something."

As for a finale book, Tower of Nero was a great surprise for me. It wasn't maybe as crazy as The Last Olympian and not as powerful as The Serpent's Shadow but still was really good. I was hesitant and excited to read because I thought I was in for another huge disappointment. Both Blood of Olympus and Ship of the Dead have failed me. The former was such a fail for me because Coach Hedge got more lines and exposure than half of the Chosen demigods and what was that final battle with Gaeia? In the latter, the final battle for both Magnus Chase and Loki was very anticlimactic.

"I'll make things right. Or I will die trying."

I know Rick already said that this is the last novel from this world but I'm still hopeful. There were few doors that weren't really closed in the story. A potential Nico and Will stories? Maybe.

"You'll come back?" she asked.
"Always," I promised. "The sun always comes back."