When Rick Riordan's Percy Jackson and the Olympians series began, I was in the awkward age range where I was aging out of Young Adult titles, and but not quite adult enough to enjoy more decidedly adult fiction. Recommended to me by a friend, this series slipped into my life at the last possible second, and I'm very grateful that it did.

I will always love Rick Riordan's books, and even though I am pushing 30, I know that I will continue to read anything that he publishes. His books are fun, creative, and best of all, inclusive of many races, sexual orientations, and gender identities. It is a superior YA series that I recommend highly to everyone. Clearly, because of my love for the series, I decided that it was a good place to start for my 2020 quest to reread books I enjoyed when I was younger.

The Lightning Thief is a funny, action packed introduction to the series. In this book, young demigod Percy Jackson is recruited to track down a stolen lightning bolt for the Olympian god Zeus, all the while being attacked by monsters who think that he stole it. Along with his satyr friend Grover and daughter of Athena, Annabeth, Percy travels across North America and fights monsters straight out of the Greek myths.

I think what I like the most about this book is the world building. The comical modernization of Greek myths, such as making Ares shield into a bulletproof vest, is so entertaining and I love guessing what or who the characters are dealing with when they encounter monsters. This book is just straight up fun, on par with the Harry Potter series, and I will continue to love this series until I'm old and gray.