Picture of the Day: 

A hawk in the woods; taken whilst camping.

Quote of the Day: 

"Courage is doing what you're afraid to do. There can be no courage unless you're scared."

-Eddie Rickenbacker

It is April! And that means two things: 

1) My birthday is this month, and I will be twenty-two years old this year!

2) The month has changed and it is time for April's book of the month. 

One is more important than the other, reader. That is why this post is dedicated to the new book of the month! And April's book of the month is.....

Percy Jackson and the Lightning Thief

by Rick Riordan

Let me start by prefacing myself: this is a children's book. That being said, do not dismiss this series so readily. This is by far one of my newest favorites, and I am going to be seeking out the rest of the series as quickly as possible!

Take a listen to this soundtrack from the movie. This is lovely. But don't go watch the movie. Really. Read the book. Please. I beg of you.

Okay. The story. 

Percy Jackson is a troubled boy; constantly finding himself in trouble and participating in school fights, he is certain that he is a no-good kid. He is sure he is a failure, and even more sure that his life will lead to nothing extraordinary. He is wrong. Very wrong. In fact, it does not take long to discover he is in fact the definition of extraordinary. He is the son of a god. The son of a god from his classics class, and all those monsters he learned about are real.

It is up to Percy with the help of his two friends, Grover the satyr and Annabeth the daughter of Athena to take on the problem of the Greek gods: Zeus' lightning staff has gone missing, and the god blames Percy. Battling monsters along the way, Percy, Grover and Annabeth seek to recover that which was stolen, and clear Percy's name. 

This story is fast paced, and written from Percy's point of view. So, along with all the Greek references, and epic action, the reader enjoys hilarious plays on words, settings, and snarky teenage humor. It is fantastic. 

Greek mythology scare you? Don't worry! While the book certainly is funnier when you understand the mythos behind it, it is so accurate in its presentation that I would venture to say you could use Percy Jackson as an introduction to the world of the Greek gods and goddesses. Come the end of the novel, my only complaint was this: Athena was supposed to be a virgin goddess, so technically Annabeth should not exist. 

But really. I was pleased with the book anyway, and asked for the other two in the series as presents. This is a must read for anyone who wants some good adventure. 

Greek gods meet modern day kids, and heroes are born.

So what are you waiting for? Go catch the lightning thief!