Review: A female Percy Jackson
Rating: 4 out of 5
Date: 11 29, 2011
Finally--a female Percy Jackson!  I have been waiting and waiting and wondering when an enterprising author would hit upon the idea and I have finally found it.  Zoe is all the best of Percy--funny, spunky and prone to a lot of trouble which made for one great read.After wandering into a forbidden temple while on a trip with her archaeologist uncle and aunt, Zoe is transported to ancient Greece.  Really ancient Greece-1000 BC or so.  To find her way back, she must travel to the oracle (isn't there always an oracle) and follow said directions.  Of course, along the way, she must endure trials on Mt. Olympus, rescue various creatures from destruction and get in a catfight with a teenaged Hera.Did I mention she also meets and falls in love with a cute teenage boy who saves her on more than once occasion.  Maybe because he's Zeus and, like, the god of everything.  His friends and girlfriend Hera are not happy with the arrangement and throw even  more deadly obstacles in the path of the star-crossed lovers.There is so much to like about this book.  Right away, from the very first paragraph, I felt like I knew Zoe and she was talking straight to me.  That kind of connection isn't often found in books and I relished it, reading way past the time I usually give to myself and burning a few dinners in the process.  It has a great message in it for young girls and isn't just mindless drivel like many of the girly books out there.  This is one heroine a young girl could really sink her teeth into and learn a valuable message about to boot; namely, that, the trials and obstacles in life often teach us about what we are made up of and teach us what we want in life and what is really  important.  The perfect combination of romance and adventure.The book is a first in a trilogy so be prepared to keep reading--the first one ends in a cliffhanger that wasn't satisfying at all.  Now, I just have to wait for the next installment!