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Verindon #1
The Heir
Sarah hates the prestigious high school she attends. Most of the other students ignore her. School is only made tolerable by the presence of Dan Bradfield, the boy she adores. Dan is the heir to his father's multinational computer company, but he is dating Sarah's best friend, Jillian. When tragedy strikes, Dan is the one who is there for Sarah, but she can't shake the feeling there is something strange about him. Is he protecting her from something? Is there something going on that she doesn't know about? And did she really see a monster in the bushes? Sarah is desperate to uncover the truth, but it could take her to another galaxy, and change everything she believes about who she is. Will it bring Dan and Sarah closer together or tear them apart? The Heir is the first book in the Verindon Trilogy
242 pages, Paperback
First published June 1, 2013
11 people are currently reading
3111 people want to read
About the author
Lynne Stringer
12 books342 followersLynne Stringer has been passionate about writing all her life, beginning with short stories in her primary school days. She began writing professionally as a journalist and was the editor of a small newspaper (later magazine) for seven years, before turning her hand to screenplay writing and novels. Lynne currently works as a professional editor and proofreader. She lives in Australia with her family.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 57 reviews
February 20, 2016
This turned out to be a very enjoyable YA read. It starts in school and I thought oh no here we go again, more teenager angst and a crush on a boy she can't have. Well I was a little bit right but the school part does not last long and then things get really strange and very, very entertaining. No love triangles, no werewolves, no vampires but something else altogether. I liked it very much and look forward to part 2.
August 29, 2016
4.5★s
Sarah lived with her father whom she adored – her mother had left them years before and her dad was her strength; always there for her, he worked hard to keep a roof over their heads while immersed in his world of technology inventions. Sarah wasn’t particularly happy at the high school she attended – her best friend Jillian was always by her side, but she was her only friend and while Sarah admired Dan Bradfield from a distance, Dan and Jillian were dating so of course her thoughts of Dan she kept to herself.
The terrible tragedy which struck one night when Sarah wasn’t home was the beginning of a change so strange, so unbelievable that Sarah felt lost and out of her depth most of the time. Dan’s protection and comfort felt safe to Sarah; but she soon realised that there was an element of mystery and danger surrounding her as well. She wasn’t sure what was happening; even who Dan really was…
The Heir is the first in the Verindon Trilogy and I thoroughly enjoyed it. Normal high school days with teenage angst; different classes; attentions of an unwanted kind; unrequited love – all flowed through to set the stage for what was to follow! The second part of the book was pretty intense as the action and pace ramped up, leading to a conclusion which left me wanting more. Book 2 won’t be far away! Highly recommended.
Sarah lived with her father whom she adored – her mother had left them years before and her dad was her strength; always there for her, he worked hard to keep a roof over their heads while immersed in his world of technology inventions. Sarah wasn’t particularly happy at the high school she attended – her best friend Jillian was always by her side, but she was her only friend and while Sarah admired Dan Bradfield from a distance, Dan and Jillian were dating so of course her thoughts of Dan she kept to herself.
The terrible tragedy which struck one night when Sarah wasn’t home was the beginning of a change so strange, so unbelievable that Sarah felt lost and out of her depth most of the time. Dan’s protection and comfort felt safe to Sarah; but she soon realised that there was an element of mystery and danger surrounding her as well. She wasn’t sure what was happening; even who Dan really was…
The Heir is the first in the Verindon Trilogy and I thoroughly enjoyed it. Normal high school days with teenage angst; different classes; attentions of an unwanted kind; unrequited love – all flowed through to set the stage for what was to follow! The second part of the book was pretty intense as the action and pace ramped up, leading to a conclusion which left me wanting more. Book 2 won’t be far away! Highly recommended.
June 2, 2013
Sarah is a normal American teenager. Well, mostly normal. She goes to a fancy private school where all the other kids are rich, her dad is an inventor who never quite seems to get it right, she’s being stalked at school by a creepy boy, and her English teacher is always picking her for class debates even though she hates them. Apart from that, she’s just a normal kid who loves art, tries to survive high school and has a secret crush on Dan, her best friend’s kind-of boyfriend.
But things are not what they seem, and when tragedy strikes and Sarah’s life changes overnight, things start to get even stranger. Melting tables, windows that don’t open, eyes in the bushes … and then things get even stranger.
The story started slowly but there was a growing sense of foreboding and rising suspense that made me realise it wasn’t the predictable Young Adult coming-of-age kind of story it started out as (but I’m not going to spoil the surprise by saying too much). Strange things started to happen and there were a few left-field comments from Sarah’s friends that made me think I was missing something. I was. So was Sarah. And when we got the big reveal it was both a huge surprise and not, because it answered all those niggles.
The Heir is told entirely in the first person, from Sarah’s point of view (which I know some readers don’t like). But she’s a strong character who can carry the story without being so perfect as to be annoying. She’s a realistic teen, with strong likes and dislikes, hopes and fears, a secret crush, and a secret history even she doesn’t know about…
I really enjoyed The Heir. It was well-plotted with good foreshadowing (but without making it obvious), good characters, and an ending that was both satisfying in the way it completed the current story, but left me wanting more (fortunately, the sequel is expected out at the end of the year). An excellent debut novel, recommended for those who like authors such as Kathy Tyers, or those who enjoy YA dystopian or science fiction.
Thanks to Wombat Books for providing a free ebook for review.
But things are not what they seem, and when tragedy strikes and Sarah’s life changes overnight, things start to get even stranger. Melting tables, windows that don’t open, eyes in the bushes … and then things get even stranger.
The story started slowly but there was a growing sense of foreboding and rising suspense that made me realise it wasn’t the predictable Young Adult coming-of-age kind of story it started out as (but I’m not going to spoil the surprise by saying too much). Strange things started to happen and there were a few left-field comments from Sarah’s friends that made me think I was missing something. I was. So was Sarah. And when we got the big reveal it was both a huge surprise and not, because it answered all those niggles.
The Heir is told entirely in the first person, from Sarah’s point of view (which I know some readers don’t like). But she’s a strong character who can carry the story without being so perfect as to be annoying. She’s a realistic teen, with strong likes and dislikes, hopes and fears, a secret crush, and a secret history even she doesn’t know about…
I really enjoyed The Heir. It was well-plotted with good foreshadowing (but without making it obvious), good characters, and an ending that was both satisfying in the way it completed the current story, but left me wanting more (fortunately, the sequel is expected out at the end of the year). An excellent debut novel, recommended for those who like authors such as Kathy Tyers, or those who enjoy YA dystopian or science fiction.
Thanks to Wombat Books for providing a free ebook for review.
September 14, 2015
This is exactly the sort of ya novel I would have loved to read as a teenager. It starts off with a shy typical teenager, Sarah Fenhardt, who doesn't fit in at her prestigious high school. All the wealthy kids look down on her because her father has lost most of his fortune and on top of that one of the boys is stalking her, grabbing her at every opportunity, making her life miserable. If it wasn't for her best friend Jillian and Art class, which she loves but where she can also sit and stare at her number one crush, Dan Bradfield, school would be intolerable. Life doesn't get any better when her house is burgled and strange things start to happen around her.
I loved that this book kept you guessing for a long time as to what was going on (and who would turn out to be 'the Heir' of the title). It was pretty fast paced with plenty of action once the plot starts to unfold. This is part one of a trilogy so if you want to know how it all ends you'll want to read on as I suspect the story is about to get really interesting.
November 18, 2020
A good coming of age space opera. The word the in the title on the book cover and the spine should be capitalized.
February 28, 2014
Synopsis
Sarah is one of the "poor" kids at the exclusive prep school she attends. Her father lost his money, and with it, any claim she had to social status in the environment where how much money your parents have determine how many friends you have and if the boys want to date you. She admires Dan, the heir to a lucrative technology enterprise from afar (with no hope of him ever noticing her that way), even though he's dating her best friend Jillian. Sarah is biding her time until she can graduate, enjoying her art class the most, out of a love for art and the fact that Dan is also in her class. She also spends her time trying to avoid the disturbing attentions of Frank, a mean-spirited classmate with an unhealthy attraction to her. In short, her life is rather mundane, until things change in a spectacular fashion, and events beyond her comprehension show her that her world is nothing like she believed.
Review
I enjoyed reading The Heir. The writing is smooth and it kept my interest. Sarah is an appealing lead character. I appreciated how the story begins in a very mundane fashion, but with the continued narrative, the reader slowly becomes aware that things are far from what they seem. This links the reader's emotions very tangibly to Sarah's, as we experience things concurrently with her. As tragedy befalls Sarah, I felt so much sympathy for her, as well as unease at the strange developments in her situation and in the relationships she has with pivotal characters around her.
The science fiction angle is well done. However, I think seasoned science fiction readers might find her world-building thin. While I would have liked more complexity and description in the world-building in the later part of the book, the developing plot details perked my interest, and I appreciated the creativity on offer. I also liked the societal concepts she presents in the science fiction aspect of this novel.
While the romance is a strong part of this story, it did feel a bit subdued. The chemistry between Sarah and Dan could have been better developed and touched on earlier in the book, and their changing relationship toward the end of the book would have felt more authentic and believable.
The Heir is a good start to a promising series. Lynne Stringer has crafted a young adult science fiction romance that feels distinct, with a lead character that readers will root for and feel sympathy with in her journey.
Reviewed for The Hope Chest Reviews:
http://www.thcreviews.com/cgi-bin/vts...
Sarah is one of the "poor" kids at the exclusive prep school she attends. Her father lost his money, and with it, any claim she had to social status in the environment where how much money your parents have determine how many friends you have and if the boys want to date you. She admires Dan, the heir to a lucrative technology enterprise from afar (with no hope of him ever noticing her that way), even though he's dating her best friend Jillian. Sarah is biding her time until she can graduate, enjoying her art class the most, out of a love for art and the fact that Dan is also in her class. She also spends her time trying to avoid the disturbing attentions of Frank, a mean-spirited classmate with an unhealthy attraction to her. In short, her life is rather mundane, until things change in a spectacular fashion, and events beyond her comprehension show her that her world is nothing like she believed.
Review
I enjoyed reading The Heir. The writing is smooth and it kept my interest. Sarah is an appealing lead character. I appreciated how the story begins in a very mundane fashion, but with the continued narrative, the reader slowly becomes aware that things are far from what they seem. This links the reader's emotions very tangibly to Sarah's, as we experience things concurrently with her. As tragedy befalls Sarah, I felt so much sympathy for her, as well as unease at the strange developments in her situation and in the relationships she has with pivotal characters around her.
The science fiction angle is well done. However, I think seasoned science fiction readers might find her world-building thin. While I would have liked more complexity and description in the world-building in the later part of the book, the developing plot details perked my interest, and I appreciated the creativity on offer. I also liked the societal concepts she presents in the science fiction aspect of this novel.
While the romance is a strong part of this story, it did feel a bit subdued. The chemistry between Sarah and Dan could have been better developed and touched on earlier in the book, and their changing relationship toward the end of the book would have felt more authentic and believable.
The Heir is a good start to a promising series. Lynne Stringer has crafted a young adult science fiction romance that feels distinct, with a lead character that readers will root for and feel sympathy with in her journey.
Reviewed for The Hope Chest Reviews:
http://www.thcreviews.com/cgi-bin/vts...
July 13, 2013
Anyone who might choose to read just the first and last couple of chapters might be forgiven for wondering how it could possibly be the same book. The turns of events in this story can be quite sudden and surprising so readers had better be ready.
It seems to begin as a contemporary school novel. Sarah Fenhardt is a thoughtful, somewhat shy student who excels at art and dodging. She's busy trying to evade the bully, Frank Howell, and conceal her crush on her friend Jillian's boyfriend, Dan. She never wants gruff English teacher, Mr Hatchet, to choose her for debating either. Introvert girls may recognise themselves in the way her thought life is much deeper than she reveals to others.
For some time, only the front cover image and back cover blurb indicate that the story will change, until the weird occurrences begin. There were a few other nice, embellishing hints. I found Sarah's school, for the kids of wealthy, cutting edge achievers, reminded me of a modern version of the school attended by Eustace and Jill in C.S. Lewis' "The Silver Chair".
Some parts are slower moving than others, but they did help to enhance what happens in the latter part of the book. Without revealing any more about the plot, I'd recommend this for readers who may like their action blended with a bit of reflective, emotional introspection.
It seems to begin as a contemporary school novel. Sarah Fenhardt is a thoughtful, somewhat shy student who excels at art and dodging. She's busy trying to evade the bully, Frank Howell, and conceal her crush on her friend Jillian's boyfriend, Dan. She never wants gruff English teacher, Mr Hatchet, to choose her for debating either. Introvert girls may recognise themselves in the way her thought life is much deeper than she reveals to others.
For some time, only the front cover image and back cover blurb indicate that the story will change, until the weird occurrences begin. There were a few other nice, embellishing hints. I found Sarah's school, for the kids of wealthy, cutting edge achievers, reminded me of a modern version of the school attended by Eustace and Jill in C.S. Lewis' "The Silver Chair".
Some parts are slower moving than others, but they did help to enhance what happens in the latter part of the book. Without revealing any more about the plot, I'd recommend this for readers who may like their action blended with a bit of reflective, emotional introspection.
June 17, 2013
The Heir is a sci-fi romance aimed at a YA audience. Sarah seems to be a normal teen going to a prestigious school. She lives with her Dad who is struggling financially which means she isn't accepted by most of the other students at school and she has a crush on her best friend's boyfriend. Yet everything is not as it seems and a tragedy precipitates a series of events with out of the world results.
I found the first half of the novel a little slow (perhaps because I didn't relate so much with Sarah's teenage angst) but gradually the suspense builds up with the second half much more fast paced action and intriguing developments. I look forward to reading the The Crown as the adventure continues.
I found the first half of the novel a little slow (perhaps because I didn't relate so much with Sarah's teenage angst) but gradually the suspense builds up with the second half much more fast paced action and intriguing developments. I look forward to reading the The Crown as the adventure continues.
February 8, 2014
It took me a while to get into this book. I wasn't sure if I was reading a Sci-Fi or a contemporary YA fiction novel, however, once I got to know the characters and the action really began I was hooked.
Whilst some of the Sci-Fi genre elements were predictable, I found the manipulation of them created something new.
The ending left me wanting to continue reading the next one straight away. (It's a good thing I already have a copy on my TBR shelf!)
The central character, Sarah has much sadness in her life and the theme of abandonment and loss is developed through the plot quite well.
The love story was quite stilted early on, but it makes sense as you read on. (No spoilers here!)
So, if you begin this book and wonder if it's worth persevering, I would suggest that it is.
The ending left you with just enough resolution to keep you satisfied, but also with the desire to keep reading and find out what happens next.
If you liked the Hunger Games, I think you will like this one too.
Whilst some of the Sci-Fi genre elements were predictable, I found the manipulation of them created something new.
The ending left me wanting to continue reading the next one straight away. (It's a good thing I already have a copy on my TBR shelf!)
The central character, Sarah has much sadness in her life and the theme of abandonment and loss is developed through the plot quite well.
The love story was quite stilted early on, but it makes sense as you read on. (No spoilers here!)
So, if you begin this book and wonder if it's worth persevering, I would suggest that it is.
The ending left you with just enough resolution to keep you satisfied, but also with the desire to keep reading and find out what happens next.
If you liked the Hunger Games, I think you will like this one too.
August 22, 2014
Four reviews from our CALEB reviewers:
(1) Teenage Sarah is unhappy at the impressive high school she attends. Her father is in financial difficulties and makes many sacrifices for her to attend the school while others at the school ignore her and come from more privileged backgrounds. She idolises Dan but he, too, fails to notice her and instead dates Sarah’s best friend, Jillian. But all is not as it seems in their young world.
In the first book in the Verindon Series – The Heir - Lynne Stringer has written a fast moving, romantic and intriguing science fiction novel that grips the imagination and is very hard to put down.
The Heir should appeal to teenagers at all levels of high school and beyond. It would make a great gift for a girl or a boy in that age group, especially those with a sci-fi bent and who like a touch of romance. I am very well past that age group and I found myself caught up in the intrigue and mystery way past the time when I had intended to retire for the night. DS
Spoiler in this review:
(2) Sarah does not entirely enjoy going to Enterprise Academy, a very prestigious school in the United States. Strange things are happening for no good reason that she can discern. Frank appears to be stalking her, her best friend Jill is obsessively interested in Sci-fi and is good friends with Dan, the boy Sarah has a big crush on. Her father has a small, not very successful computer business and he thinks he has made an important discovery to do with electromagnetic interference. After Sarah goes with Dan to an Art Exhibition she arrives home to find her house trashed and her father murdered. She goes to stay with Dan and his parents. Eventually she wants to go back to school and when she does she is uneasy at the amount of the care everyone shows her. She always seems to have someone with her. She is falling in love with Dan and he seems to reciprocate her feeling. They enjoy painting together, talking and dancing in the park. But then everything changes and Sarah finds herself in her own sci-fi story, but this time it’s for real and she is taken to another planet and discovers that she is the heir to the throne. There is a lot of adjusting to do, and her hope for a future together with Dan doesn’t seem possible. Sarah has to make a lot of acclimatizing as she discovers who she is and what it means. This is a well-written and exciting story with lots of surprises. LS
(3)
The Heir is the first book in the Verindon trilogy by Lynne Stringer.
A mixture of science fiction and romance, it centres round teenager, Sarah Fenhardt, and her relationship with fellow classmates at a prestigious high school in Connecticut, USA.
Her romantic interest in fellow student, Dan Bradfield, remains unrequited. However, when tragedy strikes her family, it is Dan and his parents who are quick to step in and offer support. Their initial care of Sarah soon becomes more unsettling than comforting, and the occurrences of unexplained phenomena leave her wondering who she can trust.
This first instalment will leave readers eager to read the sequel.
(4)
I was very disappointed in this book. I expected a Christian message but I couldn't discern one.
Bookseller's Choice Reviewer in the CALEB Awards 2014
(1) Teenage Sarah is unhappy at the impressive high school she attends. Her father is in financial difficulties and makes many sacrifices for her to attend the school while others at the school ignore her and come from more privileged backgrounds. She idolises Dan but he, too, fails to notice her and instead dates Sarah’s best friend, Jillian. But all is not as it seems in their young world.
In the first book in the Verindon Series – The Heir - Lynne Stringer has written a fast moving, romantic and intriguing science fiction novel that grips the imagination and is very hard to put down.
The Heir should appeal to teenagers at all levels of high school and beyond. It would make a great gift for a girl or a boy in that age group, especially those with a sci-fi bent and who like a touch of romance. I am very well past that age group and I found myself caught up in the intrigue and mystery way past the time when I had intended to retire for the night. DS
Spoiler in this review:
(2) Sarah does not entirely enjoy going to Enterprise Academy, a very prestigious school in the United States. Strange things are happening for no good reason that she can discern. Frank appears to be stalking her, her best friend Jill is obsessively interested in Sci-fi and is good friends with Dan, the boy Sarah has a big crush on. Her father has a small, not very successful computer business and he thinks he has made an important discovery to do with electromagnetic interference. After Sarah goes with Dan to an Art Exhibition she arrives home to find her house trashed and her father murdered. She goes to stay with Dan and his parents. Eventually she wants to go back to school and when she does she is uneasy at the amount of the care everyone shows her. She always seems to have someone with her. She is falling in love with Dan and he seems to reciprocate her feeling. They enjoy painting together, talking and dancing in the park. But then everything changes and Sarah finds herself in her own sci-fi story, but this time it’s for real and she is taken to another planet and discovers that she is the heir to the throne. There is a lot of adjusting to do, and her hope for a future together with Dan doesn’t seem possible. Sarah has to make a lot of acclimatizing as she discovers who she is and what it means. This is a well-written and exciting story with lots of surprises. LS
(3)
The Heir is the first book in the Verindon trilogy by Lynne Stringer.
A mixture of science fiction and romance, it centres round teenager, Sarah Fenhardt, and her relationship with fellow classmates at a prestigious high school in Connecticut, USA.
Her romantic interest in fellow student, Dan Bradfield, remains unrequited. However, when tragedy strikes her family, it is Dan and his parents who are quick to step in and offer support. Their initial care of Sarah soon becomes more unsettling than comforting, and the occurrences of unexplained phenomena leave her wondering who she can trust.
This first instalment will leave readers eager to read the sequel.
(4)
I was very disappointed in this book. I expected a Christian message but I couldn't discern one.
Bookseller's Choice Reviewer in the CALEB Awards 2014
January 1, 2025
4.5⭐
A great mix of classic sci-fi and mystery. I loved this ya story, it had me gripped from the beginning and I couldn't wait to find out what happened.
A girl who is being bullied at school finds two unsuspecting friends. When her father passes away and strange things start happening that can't be explained from our world, Sarah must learn who to trust and who she really is.
I loved the characters and the story. I will say that at some points the first half and second half of the story felt like two different books. But overall I really enjoyed reading and the writing was great too! The author kept me right in the middle of the action and kept me guessing.
*Thank you to the publisher for a complimentary copy of this book to read. All thoughts are my own.
A great mix of classic sci-fi and mystery. I loved this ya story, it had me gripped from the beginning and I couldn't wait to find out what happened.
A girl who is being bullied at school finds two unsuspecting friends. When her father passes away and strange things start happening that can't be explained from our world, Sarah must learn who to trust and who she really is.
I loved the characters and the story. I will say that at some points the first half and second half of the story felt like two different books. But overall I really enjoyed reading and the writing was great too! The author kept me right in the middle of the action and kept me guessing.
*Thank you to the publisher for a complimentary copy of this book to read. All thoughts are my own.
February 8, 2015
I already felt confident The Heir, the first book in the Verindon Trilogy would be an enjoyable read, but I was surprised just how much I enjoyed it. I was engrossed from start to finish with this page turner young adult novel. Author Lynne Stringer keeps the momentum of the story flying along, then takes it into hyperdrive once the reader passes the halfway point.
I don't really want to say too much about the plot (no spoilers). Enough to say that main character, Sara, is someone many readers will relate to. The outside girl at school. The one who never quite fits in. She's already been through some hard times, and things are not all that great right now.
Then a tragedy shakes her world to the core.
And then her world is turned upside down and nothing will ever be the same again.
Pros:
1. Exciting, fast paced sci-fi story.
2. No bad language.
3. Gentle romantic thread running through the story.
Cons:
Sorry, can't think of any. This was, quite sincerely, a very enjoyable read. (Don't be put off by the cover. It really doesn't do the book justice.)
Highly recommended for anyone who enjoys young adult sci-fi/fantasy. If you are looking for a great, clean read for your teenagers, this is it.
I don't really want to say too much about the plot (no spoilers). Enough to say that main character, Sara, is someone many readers will relate to. The outside girl at school. The one who never quite fits in. She's already been through some hard times, and things are not all that great right now.
Then a tragedy shakes her world to the core.
And then her world is turned upside down and nothing will ever be the same again.
Pros:
1. Exciting, fast paced sci-fi story.
2. No bad language.
3. Gentle romantic thread running through the story.
Cons:
Sorry, can't think of any. This was, quite sincerely, a very enjoyable read. (Don't be put off by the cover. It really doesn't do the book justice.)
Highly recommended for anyone who enjoys young adult sci-fi/fantasy. If you are looking for a great, clean read for your teenagers, this is it.
November 17, 2015
I really enjoy books that morph across genres, moving lightly from one to the other and making the entire read hard to classify. Hannah's Winter was one such book that transcended its realistic beginnings and slipped into fantasy. The Heir is for an older audience but is no less enjoyable.
Sarah's a nice girl with a crush on a gorgeous boy at her prestigious school. There's trouble at home - mainly because Dad is a brilliant inventor but has no business sense - and money is ... well, scarce. Dad's business partner is on the brink of losing his home and is urging him to accept an offer too good to refuse. It's so good dad's suspicious.
In fact, there's quite a few suspicious things going on. Sarah is able to put them out of her mind until the day she returns home and her father has been murdered.
What seems like a murder mystery is about to spin out of control into a romantic science fiction adventure.
Sarah's a nice girl with a crush on a gorgeous boy at her prestigious school. There's trouble at home - mainly because Dad is a brilliant inventor but has no business sense - and money is ... well, scarce. Dad's business partner is on the brink of losing his home and is urging him to accept an offer too good to refuse. It's so good dad's suspicious.
In fact, there's quite a few suspicious things going on. Sarah is able to put them out of her mind until the day she returns home and her father has been murdered.
What seems like a murder mystery is about to spin out of control into a romantic science fiction adventure.
June 4, 2017
I expected this book to be interesting… but I ended up liking it even more than I thought I would! It starts out under a disguise of being a normal realistic fiction YA novel, but then a tragic event occurs. This was another disguise… the book is about much more than Sarah falling for someone while trying to recover from a tragedy. I thought that there was a perfect balance between romance and world-building which most books of this genre don't seem to get right. It ends on a bit of a cliffhanger, however… so yes, I will be reading the sequel!
December 7, 2014
The Heir tells the story of Sarah Fenhardt, a gifted art student who feels so out-of-place in her prestigious high school that the only highlight of each day is her infatuation with her unreachable schoolmate, Dan, and her art classes (which Dan attends). When tragedy strikes, Dan suddenly becomes not only reachable, but very much engaged in Sarah’s mourning and protection. This is despite his relationship with Sarah’s best friend, Jillian. But strange events that have niggled in the back of Sarah’s mind become increasingly, and at times alarmingly, frequent. Soon it is apparent all is not as it seems.
This story, written in first person, had a slower-paced beginning and initially centred heavily on Sarah’s obsession with Dan. The first person point of view enabled direct access to Sarah’s thoughts and emotions, and though there were a few times in these early scenes I itched to know what other characters were thinking, I felt it enabled me to appreciate Sarah’s predominant sense of isolation and powerlessness in her life circumstances.
Knowing this was a SciFi romance, not just romance novel, the initial chapters had me wondering where the plot was leading beyond the developing connection between Sarah and Dan. Yet, the story captured my attention in spite of these queries and as the plot developed, it included enough glimpses of the paranormal to generate an edginess associated with knowing there was a whole lot more to the situation than was apparent. This gradual build gave rise to a sudden shift in pace when Sarah began to understand the truth of her identity, while clues planted within the first half of the story brought a nice roundedness and believability to the ‘ah ha!’ moment.
With the truth revealed, Sarah’s ‘new world’ was depicted with imaginative detail, including the diverse powers of the inhabitants and Sarah’s protectors. Effective foreshadowing generated a strong connection between Sarah’s actual identity and her sense of feeling constantly displaced on earth, although I did find her ultimate acceptance of her new position and wielding of authority a touch sudden given her dramatic life change. Yet with Dan as the motivation for her reaction, it was not unreasonable – and perhaps her actions were fuelled by her shock over Dan’s out-of-character dealings with her upon their arrival at Verindon.
All-in-all ‘The Heir’ is a skilfully-written adventure that will keep you hooked from start to end. My four star rating is actually somewhat conservative, and another fractional star is probably deserved. The only reservation I have in awarding a higher rating is that I’ve read the two other books in the trilogy (HAD to find out what happened next – thanks, Lynne! :) ) and know I’d like to award a higher rating to these works.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 21, 2014
Loved this book--only wished the second was ready to go! But it doesn't leave you with such a cliff hanger that you're dying, so I can wait without too much torture (thank you Lynne!). I definitely can see all the conflict and victories to come and am so excited for that experience. I love the main characters and their personalities, and I love the mystery and unexpected events. I don't want to give anything away because I loved just picking it up and being taken on this intriguing journey. It's a quick, comfortable read and easy to slip into Sarah's world.
**July 2014: Just read it again but this time with my husband on road trip. I loved it even more the second time! It was so fun reading it with the knowledge I have of Book 2 and most of Book 3 (yes, I'm reading that at the same time. I love this series! My husband said it was interesting and had a good twist. He was so glad there wasn't a love triangle--he's sick of those. Now he says he would write more but he wants to hurry and get to book 2, haha.
**July 2014: Just read it again but this time with my husband on road trip. I loved it even more the second time! It was so fun reading it with the knowledge I have of Book 2 and most of Book 3 (yes, I'm reading that at the same time. I love this series! My husband said it was interesting and had a good twist. He was so glad there wasn't a love triangle--he's sick of those. Now he says he would write more but he wants to hurry and get to book 2, haha.
October 14, 2021
It took a while to get into the sci-fi bit and I struggled a bit with the YA romance-like beginning. Of course, I'm an older reader so to be expected. I did enjoy it for the most part; well written and not hard going.
June 14, 2014
This book was even better than I was expecting. There is suspense, romance, plenty of action, and a couple of twists that make it really fun to read. I couldn't put it down. I liked the characters and related well to them for the most part, though there were moments that the main character, Sarah, frustrated me with her somewhat apathetic treatment of her supposed best friend. But then, she wouldn't be real if she didn't have flaws. I was told that the first part was slow, but I didn't find it so. No, there's not as much action as there is in the 2nd half, but there's a lot of set up and you are getting to know the characters and there's suspense building in that time. It's not slow in the sense that it's boring or that nothing is really happening, but I think what some might take as slow is more a lack of answers because you don't really find out much until the 2nd half. At least not concretely.
I would say in the beginning, it did not come off as sci-fi. It seemed very YA romance, similar to the feeling of Twilight, and yet different and more concentrated on the main character's life and background than on a romantic interest. Though Sarah admires a boy from afar, she believes her feelings are unrequited as he is dating her best friend Jillian. While that is mentioned several times, the story isn't completely overly consumed by it. It's an important element rather than the focus. But this is why I got a bit frustrated by Sarah, as she doesn't seem to feel much loyalty to her best friend, nor much compassion when she thinks they are having problems in their relationship. I had to keep reminding myself that Sarah is young, and that she is jealous of her best friend who seems to really have it all...looks, popularity, money, and the perfect boyfriend. It's bound to get to her once in a while when from her perspective, she has none of that.
The 2nd half of the book sees some major changes, and that's where it really becomes clearly sci-fi. I have never really been much of a fan of sci-fi in general; However, this had a really nice balance of the romance I love, the suspense to keep me interested, and the sci-fi wasn't beyond my understanding with technical terms for gadgets, making me feel stupid because I didn't know what half of it meant. I wish there was a half star system so I could give it 4.5 stars...I loved it, but I don't give a 5 very easily and my frustration with Sarah kept it just shy of the "amazing" rating, but it really does deserve more than the 4.
The only real complaint I have is that I have to wait for the sequel! I really can't wait until it comes out. For now, I'm going to go read it again immediately and relive the experience.
I would say in the beginning, it did not come off as sci-fi. It seemed very YA romance, similar to the feeling of Twilight, and yet different and more concentrated on the main character's life and background than on a romantic interest. Though Sarah admires a boy from afar, she believes her feelings are unrequited as he is dating her best friend Jillian. While that is mentioned several times, the story isn't completely overly consumed by it. It's an important element rather than the focus. But this is why I got a bit frustrated by Sarah, as she doesn't seem to feel much loyalty to her best friend, nor much compassion when she thinks they are having problems in their relationship. I had to keep reminding myself that Sarah is young, and that she is jealous of her best friend who seems to really have it all...looks, popularity, money, and the perfect boyfriend. It's bound to get to her once in a while when from her perspective, she has none of that.
The 2nd half of the book sees some major changes, and that's where it really becomes clearly sci-fi. I have never really been much of a fan of sci-fi in general; However, this had a really nice balance of the romance I love, the suspense to keep me interested, and the sci-fi wasn't beyond my understanding with technical terms for gadgets, making me feel stupid because I didn't know what half of it meant. I wish there was a half star system so I could give it 4.5 stars...I loved it, but I don't give a 5 very easily and my frustration with Sarah kept it just shy of the "amazing" rating, but it really does deserve more than the 4.
The only real complaint I have is that I have to wait for the sequel! I really can't wait until it comes out. For now, I'm going to go read it again immediately and relive the experience.
April 20, 2018
‘Sarah hates the prestigious high school she attends. Most of the other students ignore her. The only good thing about school is the presence of Dan Bradfield the boy she adores. Dan is the heir to his father’s multinational company but he is dating Sarah’s best friend, Jillian.
When tragedy strikes, Dan is the one who is there for Sarah. But she can’t shake that feeling there’s something strange about him.’
And indeed there is.
Lynne Stringer takes us on Sarah’s emotional journey dealing with schoolgirl jealousies, being the victim of a dangerous bully and her father’s murder. He journey confronts strange cell phones that shoot fatal red lights and an encounter with monsters in the bushes all overshadowed by the heart palpitations of young love.
Monsters in the bushes? Did she really see a monster in the bushes? Sarah is desperate to uncover the truth.
Lynne’s story takes Sarah on an intergalactic journey, attacked by an enemy space ship to a planet called Verindon. She discovers her best friends are actually agents from this planet who have been assigned to keep her safe and return her home. She is not Sarah from earth. She is the long lost Overlord of Verindon—with an evil uncle who does not want her there.
So what of the long talks and painting classes with Dan? So what of the arms of comfort she fell into? He is an agent—she is the Queen. So what of love?
‘The Heir’ is the first book in the Verindon Trilogy. You won’t want to stop at book 1.
Watch out for Book 2 -‘The crown’ and Book 3 - ‘The Reign’.
When tragedy strikes, Dan is the one who is there for Sarah. But she can’t shake that feeling there’s something strange about him.’
And indeed there is.
Lynne Stringer takes us on Sarah’s emotional journey dealing with schoolgirl jealousies, being the victim of a dangerous bully and her father’s murder. He journey confronts strange cell phones that shoot fatal red lights and an encounter with monsters in the bushes all overshadowed by the heart palpitations of young love.
Monsters in the bushes? Did she really see a monster in the bushes? Sarah is desperate to uncover the truth.
Lynne’s story takes Sarah on an intergalactic journey, attacked by an enemy space ship to a planet called Verindon. She discovers her best friends are actually agents from this planet who have been assigned to keep her safe and return her home. She is not Sarah from earth. She is the long lost Overlord of Verindon—with an evil uncle who does not want her there.
So what of the long talks and painting classes with Dan? So what of the arms of comfort she fell into? He is an agent—she is the Queen. So what of love?
‘The Heir’ is the first book in the Verindon Trilogy. You won’t want to stop at book 1.
Watch out for Book 2 -‘The crown’ and Book 3 - ‘The Reign’.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 3, 2017
I won this book on Facebook. No review was asked or even mentioned.
I love science fiction, so I was happy to have won this one. One thing I even love more than a plain science fiction story is a science fiction with aliens. While the book didn't hint toward this it actually had aliens, so I was in heaven.
Like most YA I have read, the first part was a bit slow for my taste. We get to know Sarah and the school she is attending. While this was meant to help us relate to her, I have to admit I didn't find Sarah too likeable at first. She hangs out with a science fiction junkie, but constantly complains about her taste. On top of that, she has a crush on the friend's boyfriend and doesn't seem to have any qualms with that. Still, this wasn't enough to ruin the story. While maybe not likeable, Sarah still sounded real. (And she gains points as the story unfolds.)
The story starts to shape after a certain event takes place. Grab your tissues. The author did a great job bringing me to tears and I am sure you'll cry too. From then and on, things become strange, or maybe I should say 'stranger'.
My favorite character was Dan. I am always attracted more to male characters and Dan wasn't the exception. He was a nice guy all around, mysterious and sometimes even strange, which I think added to his charm.
Overall, The Heir is a well-written book, a compelling story, and a great opening to a series. I'd recommend to fans of aliens.
I love science fiction, so I was happy to have won this one. One thing I even love more than a plain science fiction story is a science fiction with aliens. While the book didn't hint toward this it actually had aliens, so I was in heaven.
Like most YA I have read, the first part was a bit slow for my taste. We get to know Sarah and the school she is attending. While this was meant to help us relate to her, I have to admit I didn't find Sarah too likeable at first. She hangs out with a science fiction junkie, but constantly complains about her taste. On top of that, she has a crush on the friend's boyfriend and doesn't seem to have any qualms with that. Still, this wasn't enough to ruin the story. While maybe not likeable, Sarah still sounded real. (And she gains points as the story unfolds.)
The story starts to shape after a certain event takes place. Grab your tissues. The author did a great job bringing me to tears and I am sure you'll cry too. From then and on, things become strange, or maybe I should say 'stranger'.
My favorite character was Dan. I am always attracted more to male characters and Dan wasn't the exception. He was a nice guy all around, mysterious and sometimes even strange, which I think added to his charm.
Overall, The Heir is a well-written book, a compelling story, and a great opening to a series. I'd recommend to fans of aliens.
August 28, 2016
I enjoyed the second half of this YA novel much more than the first. 'The Heir' centres around a fairly typical girl called Sarah who has a crush on her best friend's boyfriend. Sarah attends a creepy elite school and right from the start there are indicators that something strange is going on (eg. why doesn't her best friend Jillian eat lunch with her boyfriend Dan? And why is Jillian even friends with Sarah who seems quite isolated from the other students?). Once Dan and Sarah start spending more time together the novel becomes more interesting. For me - and I am way past my teenage years - there was too much time devoted to school life in this story. When Sarah learns the truth of who she is and who those around her are, this book becomes a lot more exciting. Sarah also becomes a much more likeable character when she stands up for her friend. I fully expect to find the next book in the series (The Crown) much more engaging from the get go.
May 16, 2014
It was definitely not what I had expected. Ut was better. The complete twist if the setting was fabulous. I am interested to read the next book. However Sarah was a, what seemed like, a very weak character. I took a immediate disliking to her at the start because she was always complaining about her friend ( emphasis in the singular) which is something I cannot tolerate. Though eventually she grew on me.
November 23, 2015
A fast-paced, well-written story, which I couldn't put down! I don't often read a lot of sci-fi, but when I do, I fortunately tend to find a good story and end up thoroughly enjoying it. And while the cover was a turn-off for me, I had a feeling what lay inside was something worth diving into. I was right!
Anyone who enjoys YA sci-fi with a thread of romance, should definitely give Lynne Stringer's 'The Heir' a try. I am looking forward to getting my hands on Book Two of the Verindon trilogy.
Anyone who enjoys YA sci-fi with a thread of romance, should definitely give Lynne Stringer's 'The Heir' a try. I am looking forward to getting my hands on Book Two of the Verindon trilogy.
July 22, 2019
This very readable young adult book is the first in a series that I have been hearing about for some time. In a way, it would have been better to know less about it perhaps as I was a bit like a back seat driver for the first part, wanting Sarah to do what I knew she must do to advance the story.
Still, no spoilers...
It starts with Sarah as a high school student in Connecticut America, she is in a somewhat isolated position within the school, without many friends. This school is a prestigious one, where students judge each other (a LOT) on how wealthy their parents are. Sarah's father used to be a successful businessman, and as such he pre-paid her schooling fees but now his business has failed leaving them in limbo. I have read this kind of scenario in a lot of YA books, I think it is very well done here, in that the school is vividly described and believable while the situation gives the perfect background for Sarah being as socially isolated as she must be for this plot to work.
Her best friend Jillian, is a boarder but the reader is aware from the first that there is something a little unusual about Jillian and Sarah's friendship, even as there is something a little odd about the other main character Dan. Dan appears to be/is maybe/ is he isn't he? Causally dating Jillian, while Sarah sighs after him from afar.
The rest of my comments are defiantly spoilers, so read the book before reading them. It is a pleasantly easy to read book especially for YA and space opera enthusiasts. The writing is good and the reading experience is very enjoyable.
This book is a combination of several genera that I am fond of, I like YA books and love space opera.
The theme of personal discovery, where the main character discovers she is not the person she thought, and must leave all her old life behind as she goes forth in her story. That is a theme I have read often, but when well done it never grows old. Here it is well done, with a well written narrative, nice descriptiveness and an intriguing concept. The only really critical things I can say about it is that it is definitely the younger spectrum of YA, it is nowhere near as sophisticated as other books with main characters of similar age. Sarah can be quite child-like at times, the secondary characters are not that extensive and I think it's target audience is likely younger teens. It will be interesting to see if the age progresses with the next books.
The other thing I did not care for is just my own standard grumble about series these days (yes, I know how old that makes me sound, and I am): It bothers me when a book ends without finishing a story, I know, all series do this, I just feel that the back cover of a book should be the end of a story whereas it all too often means little more than the end of a chapter as the story is 'continued in the next book'.
In any case, I will see if the tone gets older and I will see what is behind the next cover too; I am off to order the next in the series for the library.
Still, no spoilers...
It starts with Sarah as a high school student in Connecticut America, she is in a somewhat isolated position within the school, without many friends. This school is a prestigious one, where students judge each other (a LOT) on how wealthy their parents are. Sarah's father used to be a successful businessman, and as such he pre-paid her schooling fees but now his business has failed leaving them in limbo. I have read this kind of scenario in a lot of YA books, I think it is very well done here, in that the school is vividly described and believable while the situation gives the perfect background for Sarah being as socially isolated as she must be for this plot to work.
Her best friend Jillian, is a boarder but the reader is aware from the first that there is something a little unusual about Jillian and Sarah's friendship, even as there is something a little odd about the other main character Dan. Dan appears to be/is maybe/ is he isn't he? Causally dating Jillian, while Sarah sighs after him from afar.
The rest of my comments are defiantly spoilers, so read the book before reading them. It is a pleasantly easy to read book especially for YA and space opera enthusiasts. The writing is good and the reading experience is very enjoyable.
This book is a combination of several genera that I am fond of, I like YA books and love space opera.
The theme of personal discovery, where the main character discovers she is not the person she thought, and must leave all her old life behind as she goes forth in her story. That is a theme I have read often, but when well done it never grows old. Here it is well done, with a well written narrative, nice descriptiveness and an intriguing concept. The only really critical things I can say about it is that it is definitely the younger spectrum of YA, it is nowhere near as sophisticated as other books with main characters of similar age. Sarah can be quite child-like at times, the secondary characters are not that extensive and I think it's target audience is likely younger teens. It will be interesting to see if the age progresses with the next books.
The other thing I did not care for is just my own standard grumble about series these days (yes, I know how old that makes me sound, and I am): It bothers me when a book ends without finishing a story, I know, all series do this, I just feel that the back cover of a book should be the end of a story whereas it all too often means little more than the end of a chapter as the story is 'continued in the next book'.
In any case, I will see if the tone gets older and I will see what is behind the next cover too; I am off to order the next in the series for the library.
Read
October 27, 2021It's hard to believe it's been over eight years since The Heir (Verindon #1), my debut novel, was released. It's been a long, wild ride as an author, with many ups and downs, but I'm so grateful for the time I've had with it and I hope I'll be able to continue with this into the future. I'm writing a novel set in a new futuristic Earth setting at the moment, so we'll see how that one goes. :-)
So much of myself went into Sarah Fenhardt, the protagonist in The Heir. Of all the characters I've created, I think she's the one who resembles me the most. I enjoyed being in her head, although even she could frustrate me at times. And I still adore Dan, the leading man. He had a lot to learn, although most of that happens off-screen. :-) If you're interested in knowing more, I have a couple of book trailers that you can watch. The links are below:
https://youtu.be/qafVPTILUwU
https://youtu.be/gedWO25YOPc
You can also find out more about The Heir on my website at this link:
https://www.lynnestringer.com/my-books/
It has links to where you can buy the book and also to some outtakes and scenes from Dan's point of view if you've already read the book and want to know what he was thinking. I'm happy to put up additional scenes if I have requests. It also has a playlist for the book.
I'm also excited to share the news that The Verindon Conspiracy is coming in April 2022. It's set about ten years after the epilogue at the end of The Reign (Verindon #3). You can see it on Goodreads here:
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/5...
I'm so looking forward to everyone reading the latest on what's happening on Verindon. :-)
So much of myself went into Sarah Fenhardt, the protagonist in The Heir. Of all the characters I've created, I think she's the one who resembles me the most. I enjoyed being in her head, although even she could frustrate me at times. And I still adore Dan, the leading man. He had a lot to learn, although most of that happens off-screen. :-) If you're interested in knowing more, I have a couple of book trailers that you can watch. The links are below:
https://youtu.be/qafVPTILUwU
https://youtu.be/gedWO25YOPc
You can also find out more about The Heir on my website at this link:
https://www.lynnestringer.com/my-books/
It has links to where you can buy the book and also to some outtakes and scenes from Dan's point of view if you've already read the book and want to know what he was thinking. I'm happy to put up additional scenes if I have requests. It also has a playlist for the book.
I'm also excited to share the news that The Verindon Conspiracy is coming in April 2022. It's set about ten years after the epilogue at the end of The Reign (Verindon #3). You can see it on Goodreads here:
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/5...
I'm so looking forward to everyone reading the latest on what's happening on Verindon. :-)
February 24, 2017
Sarah feels like she doesn’t belong, not at the prestigious school that she attends and not even at home where she is at odds with her dad. To top it all off Sarah is in love with Dan but he’s unavailable because he’s dating her best friend.
A seemingly random burglary tips Sarah’s world upside down and the only one who seems to understand what she’s going through is Dan. But things are definitely not as they seem. Mysterious monsters and melting tables are only the beginning.
As Sarah’s world comes crashing down she begins to realise that maybe this isn’t her world. Will she find where she belongs in another galaxy? Will Dan still be there for her or is he hiding something as well?
Lynne Stringer’s first novel is a gripping, fast paced sci-fi adventure that will take you from earth to another world. Filled with intrigue, action and romance you’ll get swept away into another world.
A seemingly random burglary tips Sarah’s world upside down and the only one who seems to understand what she’s going through is Dan. But things are definitely not as they seem. Mysterious monsters and melting tables are only the beginning.
As Sarah’s world comes crashing down she begins to realise that maybe this isn’t her world. Will she find where she belongs in another galaxy? Will Dan still be there for her or is he hiding something as well?
Lynne Stringer’s first novel is a gripping, fast paced sci-fi adventure that will take you from earth to another world. Filled with intrigue, action and romance you’ll get swept away into another world.
March 5, 2015
Actual rating: 3.5/5
*** WARNING: THIS REVIEW CONTAINS SPOILERS ***
I don't think I've ever read a young adult book on aliens before. I have seen young adult TV series with aliens, like Roswell and Star-Crossed, and I think that's where my curiosity for this series came from when I first put it in my wishlist.
I liked the story, even though it's cheesy (it's a young adult book, so I'm not surprised), and I especially like the "Safe Zone" concept. I only wish the aliens weren't humanoid (human-like) all the time. There has to be a difference, right? In a TV series that might be hard to do because of make-up and stuff (even though Star-Crossed did find a solution by giving the aliens marks on their skin), but books leave you free to do anything, and I feel like the author should have risen to the occasion.
The novel was well written, and the style was fluid. I have nothing to complain here. The most interesting part, for me, was kinda in the middle (I have a kindle version of the book, so I'm never sure), when Sarah's father dies. I was very sad about that, not gonna lie, but I liked the way the story developed after that and I liked learning about the protagonist's psychology. I also liked Sarah's dreams, and I feel like we get to know her better after the whole ordeal. I didn't expect Sarah's father to die, so it was a bit of a shock, to be honest. And that's really amazing, I think. The fact that I would never have thought it could happen, and it happened anyway, and it shocked me: these are the moments I love when I'm reading/watching something. The author should always be one step ahead of the reader. Always.
I loved the fact that she has a "secret power". That's so cool. And it solves so many problems! I wish I had the ability to tell lies apart as well, sigh.
For the sore part, we have the sexism. God, it's everywhere.
First of all, I'd like to point out how Sarah feels like she's above her female school friends because they only want a husband with "the ability to give them status, to place them above their peers". Yet, she falls prey of another kind of sexism: her sole reason in life is Dan. She loves painting and her Visual Art class, yet "[t]he main cause for [her] joy [rests] on [...] Daniel Bradfield". (Before you say anything, this is not a 12 years old girl. At this point in the story she's either already 18 or turning 18 very soon. I just don't feel like this kind of feeling is very realistic, at this point in life.) Sarah is so "progressive" when it comes to racial discrimination and treating everyone equally with respect, yet she misses the mark so blindly when it comes to females. She criticises Jillian for liking sci-fi. In, like, a sci-fi book. Maybe this is just a type of very weird sarcasm that I don't get. I'm giving it the benefit of the doubt. She thinks her ladies in wait are shallow for worrying about dresses and how she should look, yet she has said things herself, in the first parts of the book, that make us understand that she is concerned about the male gaze and approval.
While I don't condemn her interest in boys and her concern of appearing weak to the eyes of the one she says she loves, I do condemn the hypocrisy and contradictions.
Her friendship with Jillian is awful, awful, awful.
I love friendships. A lot. Especially if between girls, because ladies never get enough space. So I was very disappointed to see how Sarah's friendship with Jillian only exists in virtue of her jealousy for her and Dan (plot-wise, of course). I know Sarah herself thinks with guilt about her jealousy for Jillian, but that doesn't make it okay. Why can't girls just be friends because, you know, they're friends?
I liked that there was a sexual harassment component in the story (in the person of Frank), but the way it was solved was counter-productive. Sarah never reported the harassment out of fear of never being believed - and she felt that, anyway, they would never do anything to the guy because he's powerful etc. - but fear not, because the valiant Knight in Shining Armour™ is coming to the rescue! He will use violence to cast off the harasser, but wait, he didn't mean to, he's just "lost control" because of his deep love for you. After all "males of this species [have] as much trouble controlling themselves when it [comes] to girls as human guys [do]". Bonus points if the psycho also locks you up in his house and refuses to let you go out because "you're not ready for that yet". Patriarchy: 1; feminism: -100.
Apart from that, I actually enjoyed the reading. I hope I can start on the second book soon and then finish the trilogy.
Fingers crossed for less sexism.
...
One can hope, right?
*** WARNING: THIS REVIEW CONTAINS SPOILERS ***
I don't think I've ever read a young adult book on aliens before. I have seen young adult TV series with aliens, like Roswell and Star-Crossed, and I think that's where my curiosity for this series came from when I first put it in my wishlist.
I liked the story, even though it's cheesy (it's a young adult book, so I'm not surprised), and I especially like the "Safe Zone" concept. I only wish the aliens weren't humanoid (human-like) all the time. There has to be a difference, right? In a TV series that might be hard to do because of make-up and stuff (even though Star-Crossed did find a solution by giving the aliens marks on their skin), but books leave you free to do anything, and I feel like the author should have risen to the occasion.
The novel was well written, and the style was fluid. I have nothing to complain here. The most interesting part, for me, was kinda in the middle (I have a kindle version of the book, so I'm never sure), when Sarah's father dies. I was very sad about that, not gonna lie, but I liked the way the story developed after that and I liked learning about the protagonist's psychology. I also liked Sarah's dreams, and I feel like we get to know her better after the whole ordeal. I didn't expect Sarah's father to die, so it was a bit of a shock, to be honest. And that's really amazing, I think. The fact that I would never have thought it could happen, and it happened anyway, and it shocked me: these are the moments I love when I'm reading/watching something. The author should always be one step ahead of the reader. Always.
I loved the fact that she has a "secret power". That's so cool. And it solves so many problems! I wish I had the ability to tell lies apart as well, sigh.
For the sore part, we have the sexism. God, it's everywhere.
First of all, I'd like to point out how Sarah feels like she's above her female school friends because they only want a husband with "the ability to give them status, to place them above their peers". Yet, she falls prey of another kind of sexism: her sole reason in life is Dan. She loves painting and her Visual Art class, yet "[t]he main cause for [her] joy [rests] on [...] Daniel Bradfield". (Before you say anything, this is not a 12 years old girl. At this point in the story she's either already 18 or turning 18 very soon. I just don't feel like this kind of feeling is very realistic, at this point in life.) Sarah is so "progressive" when it comes to racial discrimination and treating everyone equally with respect, yet she misses the mark so blindly when it comes to females. She criticises Jillian for liking sci-fi. In, like, a sci-fi book. Maybe this is just a type of very weird sarcasm that I don't get. I'm giving it the benefit of the doubt. She thinks her ladies in wait are shallow for worrying about dresses and how she should look, yet she has said things herself, in the first parts of the book, that make us understand that she is concerned about the male gaze and approval.
"What was the point? I knew none of the boys in our grade were interested in me".
"I couldn't imagine what he would think of my behaviour. Most boys hated tears. Would he think I was weak? I certainly felt it."
While I don't condemn her interest in boys and her concern of appearing weak to the eyes of the one she says she loves, I do condemn the hypocrisy and contradictions.
Her friendship with Jillian is awful, awful, awful.
I love friendships. A lot. Especially if between girls, because ladies never get enough space. So I was very disappointed to see how Sarah's friendship with Jillian only exists in virtue of her jealousy for her and Dan (plot-wise, of course). I know Sarah herself thinks with guilt about her jealousy for Jillian, but that doesn't make it okay. Why can't girls just be friends because, you know, they're friends?
I liked that there was a sexual harassment component in the story (in the person of Frank), but the way it was solved was counter-productive. Sarah never reported the harassment out of fear of never being believed - and she felt that, anyway, they would never do anything to the guy because he's powerful etc. - but fear not, because the valiant Knight in Shining Armour™ is coming to the rescue! He will use violence to cast off the harasser, but wait, he didn't mean to, he's just "lost control" because of his deep love for you. After all "males of this species [have] as much trouble controlling themselves when it [comes] to girls as human guys [do]". Bonus points if the psycho also locks you up in his house and refuses to let you go out because "you're not ready for that yet". Patriarchy: 1; feminism: -100.
Apart from that, I actually enjoyed the reading. I hope I can start on the second book soon and then finish the trilogy.
Fingers crossed for less sexism.
...
One can hope, right?
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 12, 2014
I received a copy of this book after winning a giveaway on Goodreads. (the book came with a bookmark and a short personal autographed message I may add, which was a pleasant surprise). However I wasn't going to give this a good review just because of that; I was going to be completely honest.
But it turned out I loved this book a lot, lot more than I had anticipated and I read it pretty much within a day.
Sarah's a sort of complicated character to talk about. At the start of the book, she knows the type of person she is and wants to be and she is brave. I felt that I could relate to her a lot in the way she is at school, not popular but not exactly bullied either. Then we get into the more emotional stuff and we see her become even stronger; she doesn't completely break down with her grief and I really admired her for that. (I won't talk about the end of the book right now, I'll save that for later).
The characters were great. They weren't your typical clichéd characters if that makes sense. Their flaws were obvious but they still had traits to love. I fell in love with Jillandrina's habit to say what's on her mind instead of keeping it bottled up most of the time, for example. And the way Dan cared for Sarah whilst she was grieving and learnt to understand when she needed someone to talk to and when she just needed somebody for company.
Sarah and Dan's love was beautiful. It was a nice change to read a book that wasn't about love at first sight and the characters jumping into a relationship. Sarah and Dan grew to know each other as friends first, learning more and more about each other and learning each other's habits and preferences. By the time they finally kissed, I truly felt so happy for them as I just felt like they really did care for one another a great deal after the amount of time they spent together. Although I will admit that the "I love you's" felt a little premature, kind of like they didn't have the right chemistry to feel that strongly yet (mind you, I did say a huge "aww" when they finally said it so I guess I'm kind of mixed up about my opinion on that).
I wasn't entirely sure what genre the book was going to be as I only had the summary to go by which doesn't give that much away. It's definitely a sci-fi book and I honestly don't read that many of them so I thought I would be bothered by that but I wasn't.
I absolutely loved all the little clues that were given before we, along with Sarah, found out what the whole story was. I especially liked it when Jillian mouthed "Close call", I found it funny how obvious she was about it but I didn't realise that until later in the book.
Dan in Safety Zone was just pure creepy. I loved that! And the descriptions of the planet were just so beautiful.
And now onto the end of the book...
It felt like an entirely different book. The writing style felt different, Sarah seemed more confident with herself and became a true leader on instinct. Even the way her friends spoke and called her "My Lady" felt rather odd compared to the rest of the book. It felt like Sarah became a different person: at the start of the book, she wasn't even capable of doing well in debate class, never mind make a huge speak in front of what I presumed was thousands of people.
But it was transitioned into that style of book rather well in my opinion. It was a slow, smooth move that we got used to as Sarah did.
Overall, I thought The Heir was a very enjoyable and easy read, one that I will surely love to read again and again and I cannot wait to read the next in the series. I loved it!
But it turned out I loved this book a lot, lot more than I had anticipated and I read it pretty much within a day.
Sarah's a sort of complicated character to talk about. At the start of the book, she knows the type of person she is and wants to be and she is brave. I felt that I could relate to her a lot in the way she is at school, not popular but not exactly bullied either. Then we get into the more emotional stuff and we see her become even stronger; she doesn't completely break down with her grief and I really admired her for that. (I won't talk about the end of the book right now, I'll save that for later).
The characters were great. They weren't your typical clichéd characters if that makes sense. Their flaws were obvious but they still had traits to love. I fell in love with Jillandrina's habit to say what's on her mind instead of keeping it bottled up most of the time, for example. And the way Dan cared for Sarah whilst she was grieving and learnt to understand when she needed someone to talk to and when she just needed somebody for company.
Sarah and Dan's love was beautiful. It was a nice change to read a book that wasn't about love at first sight and the characters jumping into a relationship. Sarah and Dan grew to know each other as friends first, learning more and more about each other and learning each other's habits and preferences. By the time they finally kissed, I truly felt so happy for them as I just felt like they really did care for one another a great deal after the amount of time they spent together. Although I will admit that the "I love you's" felt a little premature, kind of like they didn't have the right chemistry to feel that strongly yet (mind you, I did say a huge "aww" when they finally said it so I guess I'm kind of mixed up about my opinion on that).
I wasn't entirely sure what genre the book was going to be as I only had the summary to go by which doesn't give that much away. It's definitely a sci-fi book and I honestly don't read that many of them so I thought I would be bothered by that but I wasn't.
I absolutely loved all the little clues that were given before we, along with Sarah, found out what the whole story was. I especially liked it when Jillian mouthed "Close call", I found it funny how obvious she was about it but I didn't realise that until later in the book.
Dan in Safety Zone was just pure creepy. I loved that! And the descriptions of the planet were just so beautiful.
And now onto the end of the book...
It felt like an entirely different book. The writing style felt different, Sarah seemed more confident with herself and became a true leader on instinct. Even the way her friends spoke and called her "My Lady" felt rather odd compared to the rest of the book. It felt like Sarah became a different person: at the start of the book, she wasn't even capable of doing well in debate class, never mind make a huge speak in front of what I presumed was thousands of people.
But it was transitioned into that style of book rather well in my opinion. It was a slow, smooth move that we got used to as Sarah did.
Overall, I thought The Heir was a very enjoyable and easy read, one that I will surely love to read again and again and I cannot wait to read the next in the series. I loved it!
January 23, 2016
THIS BOOK WAS GIVEN TO ME IN EXCHANGE FOR AN HONEST REVIEW.
The Heir by Lynne Stringer is a good book . It is the first book in the Verindon series. I was surprised at how interesting alien and other planet science fiction can be. I'd only read science fiction books with different time periods all on earth before. This takes place of both earth and another planet. I give it four stars.
Sarah is just an average high school girl living with her divorced dad while going to a private school . She goes to live with a friend named Dan when tragedy strikes. But he is acting extremely strange. Is something up?
I really liked the romance in this story. Sarah is crushing on Dan, but she doesn't think that he likes her. Yet the romance is kept down because of the suspense. It is also written in first person, which really fits this book. One reason for the rating being a four is that it isn't exactly my type of book. I like science fiction, but not as much as realistic fiction. The writing style was really good. There were really vivid descriptions. It is also filled with all sorts of figurative language. The characters are kind of confusing. They had depth though, and I felt like I knew them. One of my favorite parts was the way the plot was laid out. It always keeps you wanting more because it has surprise turns. The story was a unique one. I mean, who doesn't like books that keeps you guessing with a bit of everything in it. It had romance, realistic high school life, tragedy, mystery, and science fiction. The new planet (Verindon) was completely interesting. I liked the rainbow and color accent. Overall, this was a neat book. If you like alien books with a female protagonist, this is the book for you.
See more reviews like this at http://bethleesbookblog.blogspot.com/
The Heir by Lynne Stringer is a good book . It is the first book in the Verindon series. I was surprised at how interesting alien and other planet science fiction can be. I'd only read science fiction books with different time periods all on earth before. This takes place of both earth and another planet. I give it four stars.
Sarah is just an average high school girl living with her divorced dad while going to a private school . She goes to live with a friend named Dan when tragedy strikes. But he is acting extremely strange. Is something up?
I really liked the romance in this story. Sarah is crushing on Dan, but she doesn't think that he likes her. Yet the romance is kept down because of the suspense. It is also written in first person, which really fits this book. One reason for the rating being a four is that it isn't exactly my type of book. I like science fiction, but not as much as realistic fiction. The writing style was really good. There were really vivid descriptions. It is also filled with all sorts of figurative language. The characters are kind of confusing. They had depth though, and I felt like I knew them. One of my favorite parts was the way the plot was laid out. It always keeps you wanting more because it has surprise turns. The story was a unique one. I mean, who doesn't like books that keeps you guessing with a bit of everything in it. It had romance, realistic high school life, tragedy, mystery, and science fiction. The new planet (Verindon) was completely interesting. I liked the rainbow and color accent. Overall, this was a neat book. If you like alien books with a female protagonist, this is the book for you.
See more reviews like this at http://bethleesbookblog.blogspot.com/
July 18, 2013
I won "The Heir" by Lynne Stringer through the Goodreads Giveaway Contest. I really didn't know what to expect, but I was presently surprised. This story is a coming-of-age, paranormal, romance and sci-fi combination. The story is a first person narrative, and Sarah is the lead protagonist. Sarah attends a prestigious high school, Enterprise Academy, full of rich kids. Only the wealthy or well-connected were sent to this school.
Sarah lives with her father, her mother having left them both when Sarah was a child. Her Father, Dave, is an inventor, and had made some money in the past that enabled him to send Sarah to Enterprise academy. But he and his partners company has fallen on hard times, and there are serious worries with their finances. Now all the kids at school, realize that she doesn't belong or fit in anymore. But Sarah doesn’t want popularity, or status. She just wants to be left alone, to enjoy her art, and to watch Dan Bradfield from afar. She has a big crush on Dan. Dan is the most popular boy in school, and happens to be somewhat dating her only friend, Jillian. Although Sarah and Dan don’t share a friendship, she has come to understand him. Jillian and Dan had nothing in common. Jillian was outgoing, forward and bossy, while Dan was quiet, organized and a observer of people.
When tragedy strikes, Dan is the one who is there for Sarah. He was watching her every move. She can't shake the feeling that after some strange happenings that things are not as they seem. Sarah needs to discover the truth, and put her mind at rest.
It is the first book in a trilogy, and I am looking forward to read more from this trilogy and see what the future brings.
Sarah lives with her father, her mother having left them both when Sarah was a child. Her Father, Dave, is an inventor, and had made some money in the past that enabled him to send Sarah to Enterprise academy. But he and his partners company has fallen on hard times, and there are serious worries with their finances. Now all the kids at school, realize that she doesn't belong or fit in anymore. But Sarah doesn’t want popularity, or status. She just wants to be left alone, to enjoy her art, and to watch Dan Bradfield from afar. She has a big crush on Dan. Dan is the most popular boy in school, and happens to be somewhat dating her only friend, Jillian. Although Sarah and Dan don’t share a friendship, she has come to understand him. Jillian and Dan had nothing in common. Jillian was outgoing, forward and bossy, while Dan was quiet, organized and a observer of people.
When tragedy strikes, Dan is the one who is there for Sarah. He was watching her every move. She can't shake the feeling that after some strange happenings that things are not as they seem. Sarah needs to discover the truth, and put her mind at rest.
It is the first book in a trilogy, and I am looking forward to read more from this trilogy and see what the future brings.
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