Percy Jackson, star of Rick Riordan's The Lightning Thief, has had a tough life. First, his father abandoned him and his mother when he was just a baby. Then, his mother married Gabe Ugliano, whose surname just about says it all.

At least, his mother dotes on him. Still, Percy just can't seem to stay out of trouble; He's been kicked out of six schools in as many years. Now, he's at Yancy Academy, which would actually be enjoyable if it weren't for two things: dyslexia, and the fact that nothing seems to go right when he's around

Now, he's headed home for the summer and things seem to be going from bad to worse. He and his mom set out for Montauk, where a hurricane has them running for their lives. Only the hurricane isn't really the problem - it's the minotaur that's got Percy terrified. Yep, you read that right - a minotaur, as in the bull-man monster from Greek myths. I know they're not supposed to exist, but in Percy's world they do, because (as he soon discovers) he is a half-blood, as in half-god, half-mortal.

After narrowly escaping the minotaur's grasp, Percy finds himself at Camp Half-Blood. Here, he finally learns the truth about his parentage (some truth anyway), his dyslexia (his brain is pre-wired for ancient Greek, not English), and the reason bad luck always seems to be only a step behind him (monsters have been following him, of course). Still, this is the worst bad luck he's had. Explanation? Easy. Hades (God of the Underworld) and Zeus believe that Percy has stolen two magical objects - Zeus' lightning bolt and Hades' war helmet. The thefts have the gods threatening war, a prospect that would not be good for anyone.

The only solution seems to be for Percy to take up a quest to find the true thief, recover the stolen items, and return them to their rightful owners. Despite the oracle's warnings, he selects two companions and embarks on the quest. What ensues is a harrowing trip across the U.S., which will take the trio to the River Styx and beyond. On their way, they encounter a group of monsters that seem to have stepped right out of a textbook on Greek mythology. When all is said and done, the thief is not who they thought it was, but someone much, much closer. In fact, it's someone Percy would call a friend.

The Lightning Thief offers a wonderful romp through a fantastical world of larger-than-life characters, from the powerful Zeus to a modern-day Medusa. The plot twists and turns, cleverly using mythological elements to keep the story racing along. Probably the most engaging thing about this book is Percy, our bumbling, misunderstood hero. He's likeable, human (well, kind of) and completely sympathetic. His voice is so authentic you almost believe his story is real. Although the story's a little predictable (you will spot the camp traitor a mile away), it's an irresistibly fun read. I'm heading right out to find the sequel.

Grade: A

After reading and loving The Amulet of Samarkand, I worried that the second book in Jonathan Stroud's The Bartimaeus Trilogy might not live up to the first. I shouldn't have worried.

The Golem's Eye picks up two years and eight months after the first book left off. Our hero - er, young magician, Nathaniel - is now working for Internal Affairs, strutting around London enjoying his new-found importance. His cozy little world is shattered, however, when an unknown menace begins wreaking havoc in the city. The government assumes it's another hit from the Resistance, and assigns the problem to Nathaniel. Eager to solve the crimes (thus gaining the notoriety he craves), the young magician summons his most powerful servant, the colorful Bartimaeus. Predictably, the djinn is not happy to see his former master, especially since "The boy had changed somewhat since I'd last seen him, and not for the better ... he was harder, harsher, and altogether more brittle" (167). Still, he's bound to young Nathaniel, and must obey his orders. Thus, he finds himself in the destructive path of an ancient enemy, who appears to be controlled by a magician. In order to return to his own world, Bartimaeus must help Nathaniel find the Golem's master.

This old pairing might have gotten a little dull (even though I adore Bartimaeus as a narrator), but Stroud introduces an exciting new element in the form of Kitty Jones. The teenager belongs to a group of Resistance workers, all of whom possess some form of resilliency to magic. This ability puts her in the perfect position to undermine the magicians who rule London. However, the group's activities prove ineffective, causing Kitty increasing discontent. When an informant tells the group how to break into the treasure-filled tomb of a famous magician, she can hardly contain her excitement. The dangerous mission doesn't exactly go as planned, and Kitty soon finds herself hunted by the government and one John Mandrake (a.k.a. Nathaniel).

Kitty proves slippery, but when Nathaniel dangles a friend's life in her face, she has no choice but to cooperate. Before the magician has a chance to extract information from Kitty, the two - along with Bartimaeus and Kitty's friend - find themselves face-to-face with not one, but two monstrosities from the Other World. Can the group save London from its twin terrors? Can they escape with their own lives? And, perhaps most importantly, will Nathaniel survive when everyone who knows him wants him dead?

I thoroughly enjoyed this second installment in Stroud's trilogy. Bartimaeus shone as usual, but he definitely had to share his spotlight with the brave Kitty Jones. She's as compelling as Bartimaeus, although her voice is more somber. Still, it's hard not to feel for her as she courageously takes on the magicians who routinely trample commoners like her under their shiny boots. I enjoyed these two characters immensely, but I really couldn't stand Nathaniel. He's an arrogant brat whose morals take a backseat to his ambition. Honestly, I found him almost insufferable in this book. Hopefully, he'll prove himself in the next volume.

For anyone who loves tales of magic and mystery, this trilogy is not to be missed.

Grade: A-

While I sipped my hot chocolate this morning, I read an editorial about the decline of reading in the U.S. The reporter, one Kevin Horrigan, was pondering the irony of Amazon.com selling out of Kindles in the same week the National Endowment for the Arts reported that the U.S. is experiencing a reading crisis. According to the NEA, which got its info from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, "the average American, age 15 and up, spends three hours and six minutes every weekend watching television and only 26 minutes reading." In addition, the NEA cites a 2002 survey which said that 43% of Americans hadn't read a single book for pleasure in 2001. Seriously? That's appalling.

Considering all this, I thought I should do my part to support booksellers and encourage reading in my home. It was all out of duty, I promise. So, I hit Borders, where I bought the following:

Suite Francaise by Irene Nemirovsky
Rhett Butler's People by Donald McCaig - I love Gone With the Wind and am excited to read this "official" sequel (prequel?) to Margaret Mitchell's classic
The Lost Memoirs of Jane Austen by Syrie James - I'm planning a Jane Austen binge for the Triple 8 challenge, and thought this one would fit in nicely.

Then, because my sense of duty was so overwhelming, I forced myself to go to a big sale at the Scholastic warehouse in Phoenix. Obviously, I took the obligation seriously, because I couldn't stop myself from purchasing these goodies (all at 30-60% off - yipee!):

Magyk by Angie Sage and Mark Zug - I've seen some great reviews of this YA book
Black Duck by Janet Taylor Lisle - This YA mystery/adventure caught my attention
The Secret School by Avi - I'm excited to read this one for the Newbery Award Project
The Mercy of Thin Air by Ronlyn Domingue - This is the story of a woman hovering between Earth and whatever comes after death - sounds interesting
Coraline by Neil Gaiman - It's Neil Gaiman - what more do I have to say?
The Princess Academy by Shannon Hale - I've read great reviews of this one
Monday with A Mad Genius - This one is for my daughter, who loves the Magic Treehouse Series
A Year Down Yonder by Richard Peck - This book cracks me up, and it was only a dollar! What a steal.
Hattie Big Sky by Kirby Larson - I thought this historical novel about a young woman who works a homestead in Montana sounded intriguing
Elijah of Buxton by Christopher Paul Curtis - This one has gotten fabulous reviews. I can't wait to read it.
Diary of a Fly by Doreen Cronin - This one is for my son, who adores Diary of a Worm
The last book is a book about weather for my science-obsessed son.

Phew! I love stacks of books - they carry such promise. Plus, they give me something to write about when I haven't quite finished the book I've been reading for a week. I'm getting there...hopefully, a review of The Golem's Eye will be up tomorrow. Until then you can feast your eyes on my bargains :)