If you've been following this blog for a while, you'll know that I was convinced a very long time ago to give this middle grade series a shot, despite my staunch protests and great hesitation. And, well, I loved it. Since devouring the entire Percy Jackson series by author, Rick Riordan, we've had the great fortune of watching this series become an epic  adventure film series. 

Percy Jackson and the Sea of Monsters is the second novel in the Percy Jackson series, and Sea of Monsters is the second film in this great new franchise. Today, I'm lucky enough to offer up my amazing followers a fantastic giveaway from the kind folks over at 20th Century Fox. So, without further ado...here's a bit about the film:

Based on the publishing phenomenon, Percy Jackson: Sea of Monsters continues the young demigod’s epic journey to fulfill his destiny. To save their world, Percy and his friends must find the fabled and powerfully magic Golden Fleece. Embarking on a treacherous odyssey into the uncharted waters of the Sea of Monsters (known to humans as the Bermuda Triangle), they battle terrifying creatures, an army of zombies, and the ultimate Evil.

Starring Logan Lerman, Brandon T. Jackson, Alexandra Daddario, Jake Abel, Douglas Smith, Stanley Tucci.

Like I said, one lucky winner on this blog will have the opportunity to win an amazing prize pack from 20th Century Fox. One winner will receive a $15 Visa gift card to see the film in theatres, as well as The Sea of Monsters movie tie-in books. Want to see this prize pack? Yeah, me too.

Per rules from 20th Century Fox, this giveaway is open to US Mailing Addresses only. The total retail value of this sweet prize pack is $22.99 and all prizes will be mailed directly from the source. This giveaway will run for exactly one week until Monday, August 5, 2013 at 12 am EST, at which point one winner will be selected by Random.org and notified by email.

Percy Jackson: Sea of Monsters Online
Like Percy Jackson: Sea of Monsters on Facebook
Visit the official website
Follow @PercyMovies on Twitter and Instagram
Watch the trailer, clips and more on YouTube
Follow on Tumblr

Winners have 24 hours to respond with their mailing address and information, or a new winner will be selected by Random.org.

Good luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Top Ten Tuesday is an original feature/weekly meme created by The Broke and the Bookish. The feature was created because they are particularly fond of lists over at The Broke and the Bookish.

Each week they will post a new top ten list that one of our bloggers at The Broke and the Bookish will answer. Everyone is welcome to join. All they ask is that you link back to The Broke and the Bookish on your own Top Ten Tuesday post AND add your name to the Linky widget so that everyone can check out other bloggers lists! If you don't have a blog, just post your answers as a comment. Have fun with it! It's a great way to get to know your fellow bloggers.

Top Ten YA Book Series

1. Harry Potter by J.K. Rowling - Seriously. I don't need to explain this one, do I? But, just because I love you all oh-so-dearly, I will. It doesn't really get much better than Harry Potter. I grew up with this series. And, though it began as a fun, adventurous tale of friends, we got more depth, more darkness and more drama as the series progressed. Seriously...it's perfection.

2. Vampire Academy by Richelle Mead - When I started blogging, I swore up and down that I'd never read this series. I said that I hated vampires, I hated insta-love and there was absolutely no way I would ever like this series. Then, Jenny told me I had to read it...as did everyone else...so I tried it, and I've been hooked since. Love me some Dmitri. 

3. Percy Jackson & the Olympians by Rick Riordan - Okay, technically this is probably leaning more towards MG, but I read YA, and I still loved it. A fellow blogger introduced me to it in my first few months of blogging, and I read every book within a month. They're fast-paced, they're witty, they're funny...and, and, and...I love it.

4. Redwall by Brian Jacques - So, sue me. This is the uber-nerd in me coming out. They're books with lil' cute fuzzy animals as the main characters, but they're every bit as human as you and me. Trust me. I grew up with these books, and I proudly display them on my shelves today! 

5. His Dark Materials by Philip Pullman - This series is surrounded by controversy because if its supposed anti-religious undertones. Guys, I'm pretty dang religious, myself, but if you read a book for the sheer enjoyment of the prose and the story, it's better than analyzing those hidden messages. Plus, the world within these books is pretty freaking phenomenal. 

6. Divergent by Veronica Roth - Usually when a series is this surrounded by hype, I tend to steer clear of it. For some reason though, I really felt the need to read and become invested in this story, and boy did I ever. The author has created one heck of an adventure within these pages, and I'm completely enthralled with every installment.

7. The Last Survivors by Susan Beth Pfeffer - You guys might be surprised to see this one on my list because of how I said the second and third book were definitely not my favourites, while I adored the first book. However, I can't lie...the author has created one seriously bleak world, and it's very real and tangible, despite my feelings. And, let's be honest, I'm invested enough to read the upcoming fourth book despite my feelings toward the third book. That's saying something.

8. The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins - I have mixed feelings on this series. On one hand, I just love it. Is it the best written work out there? No. Is it a fantastic, dark, edgy story? Yes. Despite the fact that the series is now this over-hyped craze out there, I really like this series and I'm glad that, despite my initial reservations, I gave it a go. It's worth it. 

9. The Maze Runner by James Dashner - I didn't think I'd like this series when I first started. I didn't think I'd like a book with a male MC because I was pretty positive that I wouldn't be able to access the MCs emotions. I was really, really wrong. I introduced this series to just about anyone who would listen to a single word I had to say, simply because I love it that much.

10. The Jenna Fox Chronicles by Mary E. Pearson - I was late to the game with the first book. In fact, I passed it over many, many times at the bookstore, just because I thought it wouldn't capture me. I was definitely wrong, and I was lucky enough to have read it within about 6 months of the sequel being released, which was equally awesome. Read it and love it. You will.

Let's Talk is a new weekly feature here at i swim for oceans. I think it's important that we all have our say, and there's something to be said for raising our voices. Simply put, here on the little old blog, I like to host some of my very own discussion posts because, well, I like to converse with you all.

And so, Let's Talk will feature questions or prompts, which I will answer, too. Love it or hate it, weigh in or don't, it's my hope that Let's Talk will at least get you thinking...and maybe even get you discussing with the rest of us!

Question: What are your top three favourite series of all time, and why?

I've often said I'm not really a series person, and that's not entirely true. I do love a good series. Truly. However, I do feel that series are a bit overplayed these days. There are some series (ahem...Shiver) that don't really need to be series in my humble opinion, whereas other stand-alones would royally rule as series. That said, regardless of my differing opinions, there are some series that I just can't help but love, and I can say with the utmost certainty that they will always be favourites of mine.

1. Harry Potter by J.K. Rowling - Ok, let's be honest here, guys. Is any list really complete without Harry? That's what I thought. I actually didn't start reading the series until the third book's release because, frankly, I thought I was MUCH too cool to read some dumb kids' book. I ate my words. My little sister, bless her, wore me down and convinced me to read them, and let's just say I was so obsessed with Harry that I attended many a midnight book release party...like this:

My point is that Harry Potter stays a favourite of mine because it's so much more than just sorcery and magic. It's about the magic of honour, and friends and truth. Values like that and worlds like the one in those books are simply incomparable.

2. Redwall by Brian Jacques - I don't know too many YA bloggers that understand my love of this series or have even read the series. I started it on a whim when I was about 12 years old. My older sister carried around Martin the Warrior, and it was a huge book. I wanted to look smart and carry a big book, too, so I decided I would...and I might as well try it, too. I was hooked from a few pages in. There is such incredible world-building in those books, and while they don't necessarily follow the same characters, the world and the values and morals stay the same. There is a beautiful, magical fantasy in those books that I love to lose myself in to this day.

3. Percy Jackson & The Olympians by Rick Riordan - I like a lot of good series, but this one managed to edge out of the competition on sheer entertainment value alone. I was convinced by a fellow blogger to give the first book a go when I was still a fledgling blogger. I did, and I read the first four books in three days...then I had to wait for the final book to come out. They're fun, they're engaging, they're a bit magical and silly, but they're mostly altogether just true entertainment at its best. I urge you to pick them up even if you think you're far too old for a MG series. You'll be pleasantly surprised, I'm sure.

Oh, and my runners up would have to be The Hunger Games, His Dark Materials, Vampire Academy and The Lying Game.