11-year-old Atlas Merryweather and his family have just been hired as caretakers of a remote luxury hotel called Hotel of the Gods. The offer was brought by a messenger with wings on his shoes. Seems legit, right? When they get there, a giant man with a war hammer helps them bring in their baggage, and a Māori guy gives them a tour right after setting the curtains on fire. There’s this couple that keeps fighting and making up, and a cat who is sometimes an Egyptian woman. The guy living in the basement is nice, but doesn’t seem to get out much, and doesn’t want anyone else leaving, either. He’s got some weird pets, too, and when they get out it’s Atlas’ job to round them up. Will Atlas manage to catch Cerberus without getting bitten? Will he make it through breakfast without ending up on the menu? Is it really safe to go swimming in the pool? The new caretakers have their work cut out for them!

This is a delightful first entry in a new series. Author Tom Easton does a great job interweaving mythological figures from all over the world. The book had me at the picture of the hotel, which is a sprawling mix of Greek temples, pyramids, and Viking mead halls. I especially appreciated Hades as a real Heavy Metal god, and I loved that characters keep dropping hints how much worse things would be if Zeus were to show up. I’m counting on him causing serious trouble in future books in the series. 

This is a great book for reluctant readers. In particular, the layout really keeps readers engaged. Funny illustrations give nice breaks in the text, and Easton uses different fonts to convey how characters’ voices sound. The book was written by a British author, but there is very little British slang. Before they take the hotel job, Atlas' dad runs a fish and chips shop called The Codfather, but that's as British as it gets.  I’d recommend Hotel of the Gods for chapter book readers who aren’t quite ready for Rick Riordan books yet, but already love mythology. – Krishni Burns