I rather enjoyed Percy Jackson 
. But then I have also read and enjoyed all the books. 
Harry Potter just bores me, but I rate PJ. However, this is probably because I am somewhat emotionally stunted, not v bright and tend to take everything far too literally. Many highly-rated films for "grown-ups" leave me either cold in a "Eh, what??" kind of way or gibbering with fear.
Have not seen Ruby's house, but I gather it must be a splendid mansion. Congrats on the new house, Ruby, and may you enjoy many happy years in it.
I had most of the giant trees in our garden nixed over the first few years I lived here. They were far too close to the house and had been disgruntling the neighbours for many years before I lived here. Getting rid of the trees therefore made everyone happy. The remaining ones are overgrown beeches in the front hedge that were eventually cut down by 2 thirds and just need a major haircut every couple of years, which our kindly ts does for about £100, but I note that we have a holly bush that appears to have slyly turned into an enormous tree whilst I wasn't paying attention and this will add to next year's bill. I also have about 250 feet of 7ft high hedge, which is a blardy lot of work, but up until now I have done this all myself. Dh is not an outdoor person and views the garden as an inconvenient space between the house and the garage to be avoided as much as possible. My exh was a garden/outdoor person (as am I), hence me having the garden in the first place. I have often wondered about moving - for various reasons, not just the garden - but we can't afford to. Unless we moved to somewhere v. far away from where we are now.