Joshua and the Lightning Road

Joshua and the Lightning Road
Donna Galanti

My rating: ★★★★

ISBN: 978-1942664048
Publisher: Month9Books
Date of publication: May 19, 2015
Age: Grades 5 - 8
Genre: Fantasy

Themes: courage, friendship, family, Greek mythology

Joshua loves the tales his Grandfather weaves of Greek mythology—he just never expected them to be true. But during one particularly fierce thunderstorm, Joshua watches his best friend kidnapped by a bolt of lightning. And he knows he must go after him. So begins his adventure in a world of fallen gods, where children of earth are enslaved for energy, monstrous creatures roam the land, and Joshua shockingly discovers his own secret powers. Will he be able to save his friend—and the other kids—and survive?

This was an action-packed adventure with every chapter! Galanti has quite skillfully written a plot that keeps you guessing, giving just enough information and background for it to make sense. The characters are pretty fantastic, too, though I did find myself getting frustrated with Joshua on occasion when I felt he was being a tad imperceptive (though I guess he had good reason to be pretty emotional—he goes through a lot). My other trouble was with the setting, and I felt a little lost between the different realms or places of enslavement. I did wish for a rough map or something at the beginning, but I think I got it by the end. Speaking of which, it had a great ending, with just enough pull for more books in the series. I do recommend it, especially for fans of the Percy Jackson series. (update: see comment from author below! It addresses my concerns...)

Pre-order on Amazon
...or wait for it at your library

(I received a digital copy of the book from the author in exchange for an honest review)