Rick Riordan is back with another mythology spinoff series much like his previous series Percy Jackson. In this series the reader gets to go on an amazing adventure with Apollo. The Hidden Oracle is the first book in the Trials of Apollo series. . This story describes Apollo's journey and anger towards his father Zeus for sending him down from Mount Olympus to earth in the form of a human—worse, a mortal teenager. He now has a mortal boy’s name, Lester Papadopoulous, and is completely stripped of his powers. Now he must endure and survive this unusual world around him without the guidance of friends, his powers or any idea as to how to get back his powers and status. 

The book details the dangerous quest that Apollo must embark on in order to regain his godhood. Through this, Apollo ends up at Camp Half-Blood. Here he learns that a threat is coming, and multiple demigods are constantly disappearing. Apollo must put his fear aside in order to help bring the demigods back and stop this madness. 

I would most definitely recommend this book to other readers, not just middle schoolers but high schoolers as well. There were many laugh-out-loud moments and there was an equal balance of seriousness. It was very thought provoking and suspenseful as well. – Vidya Devarajulu