The Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan

When troubled student Percy Jackson vaporizes his math teacher on a class field trip, he begins to suspect that his life is not what it seems. He discovers that his lifelong reading and attention troubles are all signs that he is a half-blood-a child of the Greek gods. After a summer training session with other demigods and Chiron the centaur, he sets off on a cross-country quest to Los Angeles (the entrance to Hades) with his friend Grover the faun and Annabeth, a child of Athena, to recover Zeus' lost thunderbolt and stop a war between the gods. Along the way, where modern life and mythology intersect to create both humor and excitement, Percy will come to know his father Poseidon, rescue his mother, and discover that he has what it takes to be a hero. Ultimately, Percy learns to trust his friends and his abilities and to choose love over despair.

What we thought...

Janell:
When I finished the Lace Reader I was really glad I had decided to read it.  At first, I was confused and didn't really understand what was going on.  I also had a hard time investing myself in the characters.  About half-way through, however, I couldn't put the book down.  It was a nice change of pace frin the young adult genre and I don't believe the book was ever predictable.  The ending had me so surprised.  I hope you decide to read it, or if you have, I hope you enjoyed it.  I won't say more just in case some haven't read it but want to.  I will ask one question, Do you think there was an overall message to the book, or do you think it was just meant as entertainment?