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The Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan


Brief synopsis:
Percy Jackson is about to be kicked out of boarding school...again. And that's the least of his troubles. Lately, mythological monsters and the gods of Mount Olympus seem to be walking straight out of the pages of Percy's Greek mythology textbook and into his life. And worse, he's angered a few of them. Zeus's master lightning bolt has been stolen, and Percy is the prime suspect. Now Percy and his friends have just ten days to find and return Zeus's stolen property and bring peace to a warring Mount Olympus. But to succeed on his quest, Percy will have to do more than catch the true thief: he must come to terms with the father who abandoned him; solve the riddle of the Oracle, which warns him of betrayal by a friend; and unravel a treachery more powerful than the gods themselves.

Category: YA
 
Why I chose this book: I enjoy mythology and young adult literature
 

My personal opinion (the review): I enjoyed this book. It's a fun, non-threatening way to introduce mythology to a young audience. Some of it is far-fetched and often things happen too coincidentally, but overall it's a captivating, easy read.  

Warnings:
Language: Very minor, using "Thank the gods", etc.
Violence: Sword fighting, etc. - not usually graphic  

Movie rating equivalent:  PG

Protagonist description: Percy is a loyal friend and one who fights for what is right.

Point of view of story: First person

Book length: Short - less than a week

Story flow: Fast paced

Grammar and spelling issues: None

Character connection: None

For series:
Independent or integral (stand-alone or back story dependent): Independent, as first in series
 
Series review as a whole
If you only have time for one, read: The Lightning Thief
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