We first meet Leo Valdez in Rick Riordan’s The Lost Hero following the adventures of the Percy Jackson and the Olympians series. His energetic, eccentric, and sarcastic wit immediately made him a fan favorite. But as a member of the seven heroes fulfilling the Prophecy of Seven, his humor isn’t the only thing we love. Leo is the son of the Greek god of fire, Hephaestus, and possesses the power to control fire as well as a knack for building machinery. His intelligence and skill help him save his friends, and the world, more than once. So to celebrate his birthday, check out this list of books to read if you loved Leo in the Heroes of Olympus series.
The Thief by Megan Whalen Turner
Gen is a thief locked in the king’s prison. He’s cunning, unpredictable, and crafty. The king’s scholar, the magus, believes he knows the location of an ancient treasure. They need a skilled thief to get it and Gen is the perfect candidate. They pull him from prison and while the magus is only interested in his abilities, Gen’s interest in the trip is a mystery. Their journey to the treasure is dangerous and only guided by stories they’ve heard of gods and goddesses.
Loki: Where Mischief Lies by Mackenzi Lee
In the pre-Avengers days, a young Loki wants to prove that he’s a capable hero. Everyone except for Amora, Asgard’s sorceress-in-training, believes he’s destined to be a villain. But when the two destroy one of Asgard’s prized possessions, Amora is banished to Earth where her power will slowly fade to nothing. With her gone, Loki slips into agony until Asgardian magic is detected on Earth in connection to a series of murders. Odin sends Loki to investigate which sets him on a path to discover the source of his power and who he’s meant to be – all while in 19th-century London.
Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine by Gail Honeyman
Eleanor’s life is carefully mapped out. With a lack of social skills and the tendency to blurt out exactly what she’s thinking, her days are marked by avoiding unnecessary human contact. She spends her weekends on phone calls with her mother over frozen pizza and vodka. Then comes Raymond – the awkward, unhygienic IT guy from her office. Together they save Sammy, an elderly man who fell, and the trio then save each other from their own isolating lives. With their help, Eleanor might find a way to fix her own damaged heart and realize that she is capable of friendship and love after all.
Set Fire to the Gods by Sara Raasch
Ash comes from a long line of gladiators and knows the brutal nature of war. When her mother dies, she vows to avenge her by overthrowing her fire god, who stripped her country of its resources. Madoc grew up fighting on the streets to bring in money for his family, but he has an elemental power, unlike the earth god’s powers that his opponents possess. When Ash’s revenge plot goes wrong, she pits the fire and earth gods against each other. The conflict can only be settled with deadly gladiator games and when the fight puts Madoc in Ash’s sights, she realizes his power is exactly what she needs. Madoc’s refusal to help Ash is undone when the gods force his hand and the two discover an ancient war that threatens the world.
Labyrinth Lost by Zoraida Córdova
Alex hates magic. Her only chance to get rid of her own magic is to perform a spell on her Deathday. It backfires and her family disappears to Los Lagos, an in-between land, leaving her to absorb all of the magic from her family. Her only choice is to turn to Nova, a brujo she can’t trust and who might be her only chance at saving her family.
Blood Scion by Deborah Falaye
Sloane is a 15-year-old Scion: a descendant from the ancient Orisha gods who can incinerate enemies at will. Under the Lucis’ rule, her powers mean death if they are discovered. When she is forced into the Lucis army, she realizes her powers can take Lucis down from within. As she rises through the ranks, she risks losing herself and becoming the monster she aimed to destroy.
Invictus by Ryan Graudin
Farway Gaius McCarthy is the sarcastic, snarky son of a time-traveling Recorder from 2354 AD and a gladiator from Rome in 95 AD. And to add to that confusion, he was born outside of time. The only thing he wants is to explore history, but he fails his final time-traveling exam. So, he becomes commander of a ship in a black market operation to steal valuable items from the past. But during a heist on the sinking Titanic, he meets a mysterious girl who leads him on a chase through time and shows him how unstable history really is.
Whether it’s in the mythological nature of some of these reads, the personalities, or even the dark backstories that give the characters their purpose, you’re sure to find a hint of Leo’s bravery and power.
For some great quotes from Leo keep reading here!