The Burning Maze (Trials of Apollo, The Book Three)

Apollo’s trials and tribulations continue in The Burning Maze. He and Meg head to California. The southern part of the state is withering away thanks to the trapped primordial energy. Along the way, they recruit the assistance of Jason, Piper, and Gleeson Hedge. We also meet several dryads from succulents, including a male dryad! I adored all of these dryads. They have such personalities that really fit with the plants they inhabit. Aloe, for instance, is all about healing. They have several confrontations with the last emperor (whose identity I correctly guessed!), that end in terrible losses for the group, losses I really wasn’t expecting, and they hit pretty hard. They hit Apollo pretty hard, too. I’m so glad he’s slowly changing for the better!